Abstract:

Background: The year 2025 marks the 50^th anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The 20^th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP20) to CITES was held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from 24 November to 5 December 2025. This paper reviews the major progress and key debates of CoP20, analyzing the emerging challenges and transformation trends in global wildlife trade governance under CITES. 

Results: The Conference considered a record 51 proposals to amend the Appendices and 116 agenda items, adopting over 350 decisions. A regime of conditional trade management was established for the Kazakhstan population of Saiga tatarica. However, proposals to downlist or relax controls on some charismatic species such as African elephants (Loxodonta spp.) and peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus) continued to be rejected. Several proposals to list commercially exploited marine species were rejected by a wide margin by the Parties. Plant-related amendments focused on practical implementation issues, particularly annotation interpretation and enforcement feasibility. The European Union's agenda-setting dominance was visibly challenged across multiple agenda items. 

Challenges: At the scientific governance level, major disagreements persisted over the application of the look-alike criterion, the rights of range states regarding endemic species, and the potential inclusion of fungi within the Convention's scope. On the implementation front, the strengthening of compliance mechanisms and the application of molecular and AI-based identification technologies reflected ongoing efforts to improve enforcement effectiveness. At the same time, structural challenges in financial sustainability and community participation were further laid bare. 

Prospects: CoP20 revealed a clear shift in CITES' focus: from "whether to tighten trade controls" to "how to ensure effective implementation". The Global South is actively engaged in rule-making and playing an increasingly important role in global biodiversity governance. It is recommended that China further strengthen its implementation capacity, enhance technical support and knowledge provision, and engage more precisely in CITES discussions and agenda-setting.

Key words: Appendix amendments, wildlife trade, biodiversity governance, implementation, Global South