MPs to debate wider powers over endangered species lists

TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

MPs will on Tuesday debate a proposal to let the Supreme Council for the Environment (SCE) update all protected-species annexes under Bahrain’s wildlife trade law. The amendment to Law 5 of 2021 would allow the SCE to revise Annexes I, II and III without requiring a full legislative process, which is currently needed for the highest-risk species listed in Annexes I and II.

The SCE said global CITES lists are updated every three years, but Bahrain must now pass a separate law each time Annexes I or II change, slowing national compliance and risking misalignment with international rules. In extreme cases, delays could even affect Bahrain’s trade links.

The Bahrain Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals backed the move, saying faster updates would strengthen protection for the most threatened species. Parliament’s Public Utilities and Environment Committee has recommended approval with minor textual adjustments.