© CITES Secretariat
In the context of CITES, demand reduction refers to efforts to discourage and prevent the use or consumption of illegally acquired wild animals and plants that are included in the CITES Appendices, especially through behaviour change interventions.
Demand reduction complements law enforcement efforts and measures to support the livelihoods of rural communities, in combatting illegal trade in CITES-listed species.
At its 17th meeting (Johannesburg, 2016), the Conference of the Parties to CITES (CoP17) adopted Resolution Conf. 17.4 on Demand reduction strategies to combat illegal trade in CITES-listed species. The Resolution urges CITES Parties to develop and implement well-targeted, evidence-based, species-specific, country-specific demand reduction interventions to more effectively bring about consumer behaviour change.
At its 19th meeting (Panama City, 2022), the Conference of the Parties to CITES (CoP19) urged Parties to make full use of the CITES guidance on demand-reduction strategies to combat illegal trade in CITES-listed species. The guidance sets out a five-step approach based on behaviour-change science to more effectively deliver impact on the ground. Since CoP19, efforts have been made to promote the use of the Guidance through regional training seminars and pilot projects in various regions.
Resolution and Decisions
- Resolution Conf. 17.4 (Rev. CoP19) on Demand reduction strategies to combat illegal trade in CITES-listed species
- Decisions 19.55 to 19.57 on Demand reduction to combat illegal trade
News and video messages
Meeting documents
SC78 Doc. 29 - Report of the Secretariat to SC78 on Demand reduction to combat illegal trade
SC77 Doc. 30 - Report of the Secretariat to SC77 on Demand reduction to combat illegal trade
CoP19 Doc. 38 - Report of the Standing Committee to CoP19 on Demand reduction to combat illegal trade
SC74 Doc. 34 - Report of the Secretariat to SC74 on Demand reduction to combat illegal trade
CoP18 Doc. 20 - Report of the Standing Committee to CoP18 on Demand reduction to combat illegal trade
SC70 Doc. 16 - Report of the Secretariat to SC70 on Demand reduction strategies in CITES-listed species
CoP17 Doc. 18.1 - Working document from the United States to CoP17 on Demand reduction strategies
Other resources
The 2nd Edition of the ICCWC Toolkit - Part V includes relevant materials on awareness-raising and behaviour change (pp. 271–275)
Behaviour Change for Wildlife Conservation - Resource Library by the Global Wildlife Program
Briefing Paper on Research Methods to Identify the Drivers and Dynamics of Demand - TRAFFIC analysis on demand reduction impact
Wildlife Consumer Behaviour Change Toolkit and e-Course - Developed by TRAFFIC to guide demand reduction strategies
United Nations Behavioural Science Webpage - On how behaviour change is being incorporated into UN initiatives for the SDGs
Behavioural Science Around the World: Profiles of 10 Countries - Comparative analysis by the World Bank
IUCN Task Force on Behavioural Change - Hosted by the Commission on Education and Communications