International news

The Secretariat of the CMS Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation and Management of Dugongs and their Habitats throughout their Range (Dugong MOU) is pleased to announce that the Third Mee

The CMS Secretariat, in co-operation with the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) and the UNEP Caribbean Environment Programme (CEP), organized the first Caribbean regional accession workshop from 31 August to 2 September 2016 in Bridgetown, Barbados. The workshop catered to countries that are not Parties to CMS, but could benefit from acceding to it.

Harbour Porpoises, Orcas and Common Dolphins are exposed to many threats. Bycatch, for example, kills large numbers of marine mammals in fishing nets. Ocean energy installations, leaching chemicals and submerged munitions from the two world wars impact their lives. The Baltic Harbour Porpoise is one of the most endangered marine mammals globally. With fewer than 500 individuals, it is threatened by extinction and urgent action is required.

The world’s largest conservation event – the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress – will be held in Hawaii starting today and ending on 10 September. The event will bring together a wide range of stakeholders, including intergovernmental organizations, government representatives and NGOs who will be discussing solutions to the most urgent conservation issues. CMS will be participating in a number of events on subjects such as the conservation of African-Eurasian vultures, sustainable wildlife management and community-based anti-poaching measures. CMS Executive Secretary, Bradnee Chambers, will be at the IUCN World Congress and participating as speaker in a number of events.

The ASCOBANS Outreach and Education Award was presented to Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC), and accepted on behalf of the organization by its Chief Executive, Chris Butler-Stroud. CMS Executive Secretary Bradnee Chambers presented the award.

Central Asian ecosystems, home to some of the most spectacular migrations of wild mammals in the world face increasing threats. Thirty experts active in Central Asia convened at the International Academy of Nature Conservation on Vilm Island in Germany to discuss how to advance their common goal of conserving Central Asian mammals and their habitats. The workshop was held on 22 to 26 August 2016 and focused on setting priorities for the implementation of the CMS Central Asian Mammals Initiative (CAMI).

From 30 August to 1 September 2016, the 8th Meeting of the Parties to the Agreement for the Conservation of Small Cetaceans in the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas (ASCOBANS) will take place in Helsinki, Finland. At the meeting, Parties will review the implementation of the Agreement over the past four years, and agree upon priority conservation measures for the period 2017-2020.

To mark Wadden Sea Day 2016 a special event was held on 25 August 2016, focusing on the great importance of the area as a staging post for the millions of birds that seek food and shelter there during their migration along the East Atlantic Flyway. So vital is the Wadden Sea to the survival of migratory birds that when it was placed on the World Heritage List in 2009 (extended in 2014), UNESCO called upon the Wadden Sea States to strengthen their cooperation with other countries on the African-Eurasian Flyways.

Conservationists are not crying wolf – there really is a global wildlife crisis – and many animals will disappear from their natural habitats within our lifetimes.

The Liaison Group of Biodiversity-related Conventions (BLG), the body that brings together the top officials of seven international treaties dealing with the conservation of the planet’s fauna and flora, held its eleventh regular meeting in Bonn on 23 August 2016. The meeting had a full agenda as 2016 is a particularly busy year in the international environment calendar, with the World Conservation Congress organized by the IUCN taking place in early September in Hawaii, followed by the Meetings of the Conference of Parties (COP) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in Johannesburg later that same month and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) COP in Cancún, Mexico in December.