News

At the Fifth Meeting of Signatories (MOS5) of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation and Management of the Middle-European Population of the Great Bustard (Otis tarda), delegates from the 14 Signatory States and Cooperating Organizations agreed on transboundary conservation measures for the Great Bustard. The measures agreed in Bratislava aim to improve the conservation status of this iconic species, the ‘King of the Steppe’, which inhabits the open plains of Europe and Asia.

The Scientific Task Force on Avian Influenza and Wild Birds – co-convened by the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) – has sounded the alarm on the current near-global spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and the unparalleled scale of mortality among wild birds. Among other recommendations, the Task Force urges countries to consider HPAI as a conservation issue, plan accordingly and avoid culling measures of wild birds. It also calls for a ‘One Health’ approach to ensure appropriate cross-sectoral attention to human, animal and environmental health.

“Dim the Lights for Birds at Night!” has been selected as the official slogan of the 2022 edition of the UN-backed global World Migratory Bird Day campaign. This year, the campaign’s focus is on the impacts of light pollution on migratory birds.  “World Migratory Bird Day 2022 is not only about raising awareness on the negative effects of light pollution on migratory birds. We also hope the campaign will trigger concrete commitments and pledges from Parties, cities, and other key stakeholders across the world,” said Amy Fraenkel, Executive Secretary of CMS.

Throughout the past autumn and current winter in the northern hemisphere, multiple avian influenza outbreaks, caused predominantly by the H5N1 HPAI virus, plus other subtypes including H5N8, have occurred in the UK, The Netherlands, Israel, and India.

“Canta, vuela y elévate como las aves!" es el lema del Día Mundial de las Aves Migratorias de este año, una campaña mundial anual dedicada a concienciar sobre las aves migratorias y la necesidad de la cooperación internacional para conservarlas. Este año la campaña se centrará en los fenómenos del "canto de los pájaros" y el "vuelo de los pájaros" como forma de inspirar y conectar a personas de todas las edades en todo el mundo en su deseo compartido de celebrar las aves migratorias y unirse en un esfuerzo común y global para proteger las aves y los hábitats que necesitan para sobrevivir.

La familia de la CMS marcó el curso para el desarrollo de sus contribuciones al Marco de Biodiversidad Global a partir de 2020, que se prevé que proporcionará un «nuevo acuerdo con la naturaleza» para toda la comunidad internacional.

CMS and its Family set the course for developing their contributions to the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework which is expected to provide a "New Deal for Nature" for the entire international community. Two years away from its adoption, the post-2020 framework presents the opportunity to raise the visibility of migratory wildlife and promote its conservation. Last week, the CMS Standing Committee (Bonn, 23-24 October 2018) endorsed the establishment of a Working Group (WG) on the development of CMS Family contributions to the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.