CITES CoP20: VKM reviews proposed changes to international species lists ahead of global summit

What is happening

The proposed amendments will be considered at the 20th Conference of the Parties (CoP20) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which will take place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from 24 November to 5 December 2025.

Why VKM did this work

The assessment was commissioned by the Norwegian Environment Agency – Norway's CITES Management Authority – and will inform Norway’s mandate and positions for CITES CoP20. VKM is Norway’s CITES Scientific Authority.

About the CITES species lists

CITES regulates international trade in selected species to ensure their survival. Species are grouped into three species lists called Appendices based on their risk of extinction:

• Appendix I: Species at highest risk of extinction; commercial trade is generally prohibited.
• Appendix II: Species that are not necessarily threatened with extinction but could become so if trade is not controlled; trade is regulated and monitored.
• Appendix III: Species protected in at least one country that has asked other CITES Parties for help to control trade.

Before each CoP, Parties may propose amendments to the Appendices, such as moving a species from Appendix I to Appendix II (downlisting), from Appendix II to Appendix I (uplisting) or adding species to/removing species from the Appendices.

What’s on the table for CoP20

A total of 51 listing proposals have been submitted, covering a broad taxonomic and geographic scope, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, marine organisms (notably sharks and rays), invertebrates, and plants.

VKM has assessed the proposals and concludes as follows:

• 41 receive positive findings, meaning they meet the requirements of the Convention and the listing criteria.
• 4 receive negative findings, meaning they do not meet these requirements.
• 6 receive inconclusive findings, due to insufficient data to determine compliance with the criteria.

How VKM conducted the assessment

VKM reviewed available information on species taxonomy, distribution, conservation status, population trends, habitat status, and trade levels. Based on this evidence, VKM assessed whether each proposal meets the CITES listing criteria. The assessments were conducted in accordance with the listing criteria set out in CITES Resolution Conf. 9.24 (Rev. CoP17), using available scientific and trade data.

Photo: Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus, male) at the Little Rann of Kutch, Gujarat, India. Photo © Sumeet Moghe, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped. Available at Wikimedia Commons.