Protecting Endangered Species

This policy brief examines the global frameworks and challenges associated with protecting endangered species, focusing on the roles of the IUCN Red List, CITES, and CMS. It highlights the importance of international cooperation and funding, while arguing that conservation efforts must expand beyond iconic species to include lesser-known species that provide critical ecosystem services.

• The IUCN Red List serves as the primary tool for assessing species extinction risk and informing conservation policy, though a gap in communication between experts and policymakers can hinder the implementation of action plans.
• CITES and CMS are the primary international treaties for species protection; CITES focuses on regulating international trade for over 37,000 species, while CMS focuses on the conservation of migratory species and their habitats.
• Specific regional and species-focused frameworks, such as the Global Tiger Initiative Council (GTIC) and the Global Snow Leopard Ecosystem Protection Program (GSLEP), have successfully attracted political attention and resources, though some critics cite a lack of transparency and accountability in tiger conservation.
• The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is the largest multilateral fund for nature in developing countries, providing significant funding for endangered species; for example, it provided up to USD 50 million in grants for tigers and nearly USD 100 million for snow leopard projects implemented by the UNDP.
• The Persian leopard's historic range has been reduced by 72-84% over the last century due to habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, bounties, and the indiscriminate killing of prey.
• Several factors contribute to the continued endangerment of species, including short-term funding, limited technical capacity in habitat countries, a lack of community involvement, and national priorities that favor agriculture or mining over conservation.
• Conservation efforts often prioritize iconic species, leaving lesser-known species—such as the Saint Lucia racer, which has fewer than 20 individuals, or the Daguo Mulian tree—at higher risk.

APA

Rosen,, T. (2022). Protecting Endangered Species. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/protecting-endangered-species

Chicago

Rosen,, Tanya. Protecting Endangered Species. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2022. https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/protecting-endangered-species.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Rosen, |first1=Tanya |title=Protecting Endangered Species |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=3 March 2022 |url=https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/protecting-endangered-species |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rosen2022protecting, author = {Rosen,, Tanya}, title = {{Protecting Endangered Species}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2022}, month = mar, url = {https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/protecting-endangered-species}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }