It is important to understand the contexts of environmental discussions and negotiations. MEAs have largely been produced by significant international conferences convened by the United Nations (UN), such as the Stockholm Conference, the Rio Conference, and the World Summit on Sustainable Development.1 However, not all MEAs originated in UN fora, such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (“CITES”). This treaty evolved from an initiative of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (formerly the World Conservation Union) and was adopted at a meeting of government representatives in 1973.