Whither CITES? The Evolution of a Treaty Regime in the Borderland of Trade and Environment

In June 1997, the Conference of the Parties to the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)1 will hold its tenth regular meeting in Harare, Zimbabwe. After twenty-two years in force, the treaty stands at a crossroads - and in the focus of global debate on the future relationship between trade and environment. The present analysis will attempt to review the past performance of the CITES regime, assess its innovative contributions to international law in the field of sustainable development, and consider its prospects for growth.