How does the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) operate in practice? What underpins the CITES permit system, the scientific and legal acquisition assessments that guide decisions, and the structure of the CITES Appendices? How do the roles of national CITES authorities differ from those of the CITES Secretariat?
These are just some of the questions that can be answered by taking the new CITES online courses launched at the 20th World Wildlife Conference.
At a side event in the margins of the 20th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (CoP20) that took place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from November 24 to December 5, 2025, the CITES Secretariat announced the launch of two new e-learning courses.
The CITES Basic e-Learning Course and the CITES e-Learning Course on the Amendment of Appendices I and II are interactive, self-paced tools designed to support Parties, enforcement authorities, non-governmental organizations, academia, the youth, and the broader conservation community in understanding and implementing the Convention more effectively. Both courses are hosted on the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) InforMEA knowledge management platform, which provides a central hub for knowledge-sharing across multilateral environmental agreements.
Opening the side event at CoP20, CITES Secretary-General, Ivonne Higuero, emphasised the importance of digital transformation in strengthening knowledge management and global cooperation, by stating: “These courses come at a particularly meaningful moment, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of CITES, marking a major step forward in making CITES knowledge more accessible, inclusive, and impactful for all Parties.
“These new e-learning tools will help strengthen global cooperation and support our shared commitment to conserving biodiversity in line with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and CITES Strategi Vision.”
The side event featured an interactive quiz with event participants, a walk-through of the online platform and demonstrations of the new courses on topics including:
- CITES authorities
- Regulation of trade in specimens of CITES-listed species and the CITES permit system
- Exemptions and other special provisions
- Non-Detriment Findings
- Proposals to Amend the CITES Appendices
- CITES enforcement
These new digital tools are expected to play a critical role in building capacity among Parties and stakeholders, particularly in regions where resources for training and implementation are limited.