CMS COP15 Adopted Landmark Global Action Plan to Safeguard Bustards Worldwide
Last March, in a major breakthrough for the global conservation of migratory species of wild animals, the Fifteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS COP15) adopted a Multi-species Action Plan (MsAP) to conserve bustards – one of the world’s most threatened groups of birds.
The landmark plan establishes a coordinated, science-based global framework to protect all 26 species of bustards across 102 range states, marking an unprecedented level of international collaboration for these iconic birds.
Bustards – including species such as the Critically Endangered great Indian bustard, Bengal florican and lesser florican, and the Endangered Ludwig's and great bustard – are vital to grassland, steppe, and arid ecosystems across Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Their presence is widely recognized as an indicator of ecosystem health. However, populations are in steep decline due to habitat loss, agricultural intensification, infrastructure development, illegal and unsustainable hunting, and climate change. An estimated sixty percent of bustard species are at risk of extinction, due to a combination of those threats.
The newly adopted MsAP provides a comprehensive roadmap to reverse these declines. It prioritizes:
- Protection and restoration of critical habitats
- Mitigation of key threats such as power line collisions and unsustainable land use
- Strengthened scientific research and long-term monitoring
- Engagement with local communities and stakeholders
- Cross-border cooperation among governments and conservation organizations
The MsAP was developed through a wide consultative process led by the Bustards Without Borders initiative and proposed to CMS by Hungary, with co-sponsorship by the governments of Eritrea, the European Union and its Member States, Iran, Mongolia, and Nigeria. At CMS COP15 in Campo Grande, Brazil, the plan received further verbal support from the governments of Burkina Faso, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, and an NGO from Kazakhstan. The MsAP reflects a shared global commitment to safeguarding these majestic migratory birds that traverse international borders.
Conservation successes in parts of Europe – particularly for the great bustard – demonstrate that coordinated, science-driven action can stabilize and even recover populations when supported by long-term commitments, including bustard-friendly policies, sustainable agricultural practices and undergrounding of power lines. The adoption of the Bustard Multi-species Action Plan at CMS COP15 represents a decisive step toward such coordinated global action.
