Simon Ward contributed to this report. Our understanding of conservation has grown since, and with it our awareness that not only has international trade never driven a species to extinction, but only rarely has it even been a major contributing factor.
International trade ranks a distant fourth.
For animal protection NGOs, an Appendix I listing for their preferred species has become a Holy Grail that can be sold to donors as a major victory for conservation. Meanwhile, voting governments with no vested interest in a species find it politically expedient to concede to NGOs' demands in return for cheap green points that can be cashed in when it comes to tackling real issues, such as pollution. In practice, however, it is not a simple case of wildlife traders being put out of business. Rather, it is a case of developing countries bowing to the will of the industrialised world. In contrast, when Northern resources come under scrutiny, such as happened in 1992 when protection was proposed for bluefin tuna, backroom deals between governments and vested interests ensure the status quo is preserved.