We are watching the CITES gathering in South Africa with interest (let us not consider the carbon footprint of the over 2,000 delegates from all over the world shall we!). 
Elephant poaching has escalated massively despite regulations and regular 'talk shops'. The move to put all Elephant populations on Appendix 1 - if it happens, will inevitably be a disaster for the pachyderms. The trade will continue but just be driven further underground. One just has to think of the rhino horn trade. 
If you hope this move will close down the markets - it is not going to happen. Think of the illegal trade in pangolins, measured by the ton; the illegal abalone (perlemoen) trade in the Western Cape, South Africa. An ongoing fight for many years but it continues and escalates. 
Wildlife trade is up there with the illegal arms and drugs trades - very big money. The USA 'war on drugs' achieved very little, the fight against the illegal trade in wildlife products sadly is the same.