The Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species: Local Authority and International Policy

Prevailing U.S. government philosophy espouses the devolution of authority from federal to local levels. This trend opens the possibility of greater local involvement in policy implementation, and provides international policymakers the opportunity to improve global policies by adding the efforts of local actors to their implementation framework. Much of international policy involves enforcement through international-to-national linkages, but devolution offers the potential to extend the implementation chain by providing national-to-local linkages.

This new book explores the nature of such linkages, using the case study of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) via its domestic analogue, the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The analysis employs both quantitative and qualitative methods, including interviews, survey research, statistical analysis, and legal document review. The author concludes that while the framework of CITES enforcement in the U.S. allows for a national-to-local extension in the CITES "implementation chain," it also presents challenges that should be addressed by international policymakers who consider devolution as a way of improving global policy.

The book includes a Foreword by Scott A. Frisch, a professor of political science (and chair of the department) at California State University, Channel Islands. Frisch notes that "in this book Jonathan Liljeblad offers an enlightening and long-overdue look at the issue of local implementation of international policy.... Liljeblad is able to arrive at insightful conclusions as well as concrete recommendations for policymakers wishing to improve coordination and execution of international policies that rely on local governments for their implementation." He adds, "Liljeblad's recommendations would foster a climate of greater understanding of the connections between international and domestic policy and should be heeded by all levels of government to remove unnecessary roadblocks that can derail implementation."

A new study in the international protection of animal and plant species, presented by Quid Pro Books.