A conflict of visions: Ideas shaping wildlife trade policy toward African megafauna

The issue of wildlife trade is a major concern for the conservation of African megafauna, such as elephants, rhinos, and lions. International efforts to regulate this trade have faced significant challenges, leading to conflicts over wildlife trade policies across different countries and within the global framework of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). This conflict hampers conservation efforts aimed at protecting these species. To better understand why this conflict arises, we can turn to political science theories, which highlight the role of ideas in shaping policy positions and decisions.

For our study, we developed a framework to analyse the ideas driving the conflict over wildlife trade policies. We focused on debates surrounding the trade of African elephants, rhinos, and lions at both the international level within CITES and within a single country, South Africa. Over a five-year period, we examined how different stakeholders contributed to these debates and identified key themes that emerged.

Our analysis revealed that both cognitive ideas, which explain cause-and-effect relationships, and normative ideas, which are based on values, drove debates over wildlife trade policies. These ideas shaped arguments for and against trade, highlighting differing ethical perspectives and perceptions of risk. By combining these cognitive and normative elements and drawing on further statements about assumed rights and responsibilities, we identified three main narratives that underpin wildlife trade policy discussions. These narratives not only shed light on tensions within the CITES framework but also reflect broader environmental and political narratives. Importantly, they emphasize how differing ideological visions contribute to the conflict over wildlife trade policies.

Our findings suggest that the structure of the CITES framework may exacerbate this conflict by reinforcing opposing ideological viewpoints. This highlights the need for further research to understand the structural dynamics at play and their implications for conservation efforts.