Bonn, 26 July 2010 - The United Nations Environment Programme / Convention on Migratory Species (UNEP/CMS) is going to host a workshop for policy makers of the Hispanic countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). This workshop is intended to follow up on the previous workshop held in Panama City in 2007. Representatives of 20 LAC countries are expected to take part in the workshop to take place from 23 to 25 August 2010 also being held in Panama. In the preparations of the event, UNEP/CMS is being supported by the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (UNEP/ROLAC) and the Audubon Society Panama. The Spanish Ministry for the Environment is sponsoring the capacity building workshop.

[English][français][español]

On 19 July, the Luxembourg Minister for Sustainable Development and Infrastructure, Marco Schank signed two CMS Memoranda of Understanding; one concerning conservation measures for the Aquatic Warbler (Acrocephalus paludicola), the rarest songbird in continental Europe, and the other for migratory birds of prey in Africa and Eurasia.

[Read on]

Bonn, 16 July 2010 - Following its recent success in combating illegal hunting in May this year, the Project to Apply the Law on Fauna (PALF) has provided another progress report. The initiative, aimed towards protecting endangered species from illegal hunting in the Republic of Congo, was selected and featured on the Year of the Gorilla website as a priority project.

[Read on]

Bonn, 12 July 2010 - The UNEP/CMS Thesis Award on Migratory Species Conservation, sponsored by Lufthansa, is now open for applications until April 2011. The award of €10,000 (c. US$ 12,850) will be made at the 10th Meeting of the Conference of Parties to CMS (COP10) in Norway in November 2011, in affiliation with the Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig (ZFMK) in Bonn. The Secretariat of the Bonn Convention on Migratory Species advertises this award to promote scientific research and conservation of migratory species, as defined by the Convention.

[Read on] [Français] [Español]

Bonn, 30 June 2010 - The 16th Scientific Council meeting established guidelines for pragmatic and practical solutions to relevant issues of the conservation of migratory species.

In the presence of over 60 delegates from all the regions of the world, the Chairman of the Scientific Council, John H. Mshelbwala, opened the meeting by welcoming everyone and expressed his gratitude for their continued contribution to the CMS family. He specifically welcomed new members of the "family", Ian Redmond, CMS's new ambassador who had previously served as ambassador of last year's Year of the Gorilla campaign. Mshelbwala also welcomed Elizabeth M. Mrema at her first meeting of the Scientific Council as Executive Secretary.

[Read on]

London, 24 June 2010 – During the International Year of Biodiversity -CMS Ambassador Stanley Johnson and CMS Editor Robert Vagg launched the first comprehensive book on migratory species and the threats they face.  At a public event hosted by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) they presented the large format illustrated book covering a wide array of species ranging from albatrosses to zebras in their habitats. Both authors are donating all their authors' royalties to the CMS to help protect migratory species.

[Read on]

London, 24 June 2010 – Migratory species such as turtles and whales are exceptionally vulnerable to climate change, according to preliminary findings from a forthcoming report.

Research by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) for the United Nations Environment Programme’s Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (UNEP/CMS) shows that even the subtle changes in environmental conditions that could be caused by climate change could have catastrophic consequences for animals that migrate.

CMS Executive Secretary Elizabeth Maruma Mrema said: “Migratory species are particularly threatened by climate change as they depend on different habitats to breed, feed and rest. The findings from the report will facilitate the Convention’s response to assist migratory species in adapting to climate change at a global level.”

[Read on]

Executive Summary on the report's findings

Climate Change Impacts on Migratory species - The Path Ahead

Bonn, 14 June 2010 – New conservation plans for the Siberian Crane Grus leucogeranus covering its entire range and migration routes that span continents have now been endorsed to save the species from extinction. During its annual migration, the Siberian Crane travels 5,000 kilometres from its breeding grounds in Yakutia and western Siberia, intermediate resting and feeding places, to its wintering sites in southern China and Iran.

During these extensive journeys along three migration routes, called flyways, they overcome considerable obstacles such as high mountains and vast deserts. Major threats like hunting in West and Central Asia and the drainage of critical wetlands in East Asia put them at an even greater risk. Only 3,000 to 3,500 birds remain globally. During the last century agricultural use, dams, pollution and inappropriate water management, oil and urban development have destroyed 60% of wetlands in Europe and 90 % worldwide.

[Read on] [Pressemitteilung]

Bonn, 9 June 2010 – the CMS Secretariat is pleased to announce that the 10th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties will take place in Norway in the second half of November 2011. Further details of the precise dates and venue will be circulated in due course.

After a number of other countries had made enquiries about hosting the Conference, the Government of Norway made a formal offer to hold the meeting. This offer was warmly accepted after consultations with the Standing Committee.

Norway’s Minister of the Environment and International Development, Erik Solheim said: “I am delighted that our offer to host CMS COP10 has been accepted. Conserving the natural environment is our priority and that is why we take our obligations under CMS and its Family seriously.”

“I am looking forward to going to Norway for CMS’s milestone 10th COP, the first in the post-2010 period. CMS and its Parties continue to face daunting challenges and one of the key questions facing the COP will be deciding the future shape of the Convention. Fortunately, Parties will be choosing how to proceed, building on the solid progress of the last few years”, said CMS Executive Secretary, Elizabeth Maruma Mrema.

Norway has experience of hosting CMS-related meetings – the third MOP of ACAP, the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels was held in Bergen in April/May 2009. As host of the COP, Norway will become a full member of the CMS Standing Committee.

Bonn, 8 June 2010 – The UNEP/CMS Secretariat welcomes the accession of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea to CMS. Equatorial Guinea will be 114th Party to the Convention with effect from 1 August 2010.

The Republic of Equatorial Guinea is located in Central Africa, bordering the Bay of Biafra. Due to the variety of biogeographical regions within its territory, Equatorial Guinea possesses a high degree of biological diversity. In its area of more than 28,051 km2, the country also embraces a combination of complex vegetation zones. Beyond the coastal plains, the mainland provinces are hilly at a level of approximately 2,000 feet, with some 4,000-foot peaks. In addition Equatorial Guinea hosts many sources of water, thanks to its continental rivers and volcanic islands.

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Kigali/Volcanoes National Park, 5 June 2010 – Schoolchildren and villagers across Rwanda will receive solar power and more than $85,000 will go to gorilla conservation as part of the lasting legacy of World Environment Day 2010.

Rwanda, this year’s global host for WED, organized a vivid celebration in the Volcanoes National Park that brought together a Hollywood star, the Rwandan President, environmentalists and businesses alongside 30,000 people.

During the much-anticipated and widely acclaimed traditional Kwita Izina baby gorilla naming ceremony, this year’s People’s Choice name, ‘Zoya’, which was chosen online by around 3,400 people around the planet, was announced by Oscar-nominated actor Don Cheadle.

Further details can be found on the UNEP website here.

[Read on]

Geneva, 4 June 2010 – Natural systems that support economies, lives and livelihoods across the planet are at risk of rapid degradation and collapse, unless there is swift, radical and creative action to conserve and sustainably use the variety of life on Earth. Actions are requested at all levels.

To raise awareness of the impending crisis and to spur the world to act, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity. In September 2010, the General Assembly will hold a special high-level meeting on the subject. It will give the international community an opportunity to demonstrate much needed leadership in advance of the Nagoya Biodiversity Summit, to be held in October 2010, which will adopt a new strategic plan for implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity.

[Read on]

Kigali, Nairobi, 4 June 2010 – UN Peacekeepers in DR Congo are planning a new gorilla rescue airlift next month, in what may be one of the first operations conducted under their new mandate. As of 1 July, the UN Peacekeeping Mission in DR Congo (MONUC) will convert to a stabilization mission, as per a recent decision by the UN Security Council.

The rescue is being carried out amid concerns for the future of the endangered species and recommendations by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and INTERPOL to strengthen the capacity of the UN Mission and law enforcement bodies to combat cross-border environmental crime in the Greater Congo Basin and gorilla range states.

[Read on]

Bonn, 1 June 2010 – The book “Survival – Saving Endangered Migratory Animals” written by CMS Ambassador, Stanley Johnson and CMS’s editor, Robert Vagg will be officially launched at an evening seminar hosted by the Zoological Society of London on 24 June.

The speakers at the event will be the authors together with CMS Executive Secretary, Elizabeth Maruma Mrema and the Senior Curator of the ZSL, Paul Pearce-Kelly. The English version of the book, published by Stacey International, contains 164 pages and a splendid range of colour photos of many species listed in the Convention’s appendices. There is also a German language version “Wanderer der Wildnis” published by Frederking & Thaler.

For more details of the launch, click here

Bonn, 28 May 2010 – Ian Redmond OBE has accepted the Executive Secretary’s invitation to become a CMS Ambassador. Ian Redmond’s reputation and commitment have spread across the world as Ambassador of the Year of the Gorilla.

Ian is a tropical field biologist and conservationist, renowned for his work with great apes, elephants, polar bears, reptiles and amphibians. For more than 30 years he has been associated with Mountain Gorillas, through research, filming, tourism and conservation work. In his new role as CMS Ambassador he will advocate the cause of all species covered by the Convention.

[Read on] [Ian's Biography]

Bonn, 27 May 2010 – 12,000 saiga antelopes are reported to have died suddenly in the Ural population in Western Kazakhstan.

This dramatic news is a serious blow for the critically endangered species, which suffered a 90% collapse primarily due to poaching in recent decades. The number of dead animals is the equivalent of approximately one third of the entire Ural population according to the most recent spring estimate. The reported die-off took place in mid-May when saiga give birth in mass aggregations of thousands of females. The vast majority of saiga carcasses are females and calves. The cause of this catastrophe is not yet clear. A commission has been set up by the Kazakh authorities to investigate the matter.

Bonn, 26 May 2010 – A success in combating illegal hunting has been reported by the Project to Apply the Law on Fauna (PALF) in the Republic of Congo. The objective of PALF is to fight commercial poaching and the related trade in endangered species by increasing effectiveness of wildlife law enforcement.

By working closely with the Ministry of Forestry Economy and other government bodies the project intends to bring about significant convictions in The Republic of Congo under wildlife legislation. This does not only curtail the activities of those prosecuted but, supported by a pro-active media campaign, but does act as a deterrent to others. In this way the trade in illegal wildlife products can be reduced, and hence the incentive to hunt elephants, great apes and other endangered species is minimized.

This project is being supported by CMS as a priority project selected during the Year of the Gorilla. Click here for further details on the YOG website and click here for the PALF report.

Bonn, 22 May 2010 – The German actor and conservationist, Hannes Jaenicke, has released a message on the International Day of Biodiversity to highlight the plight of endangered migratory species worldwide.

He started a series of documentaries on endangered animals as a public appeal for active commitment towards conservation. Following his films on orang utans and polar bears, his most recent one “Wildlife Underground Sharks” was launched at the Berlin Film Festival in February. At the same time, CMS concluded the first global agreement on sharks. Jaenicke’s environmental credentials include winning the DIVA Earth Award. Hannes Jaenicke is also supporting the Convention on Migratory Species in his capacity as chair of the German charity “Friends of CMS”.

[Click here to view the video] [Klicken Sie hier für die deutsche Version]

Details of the public awareness-raising event in Bonn can be found here.

Montreal, 21 May 2010 – The new record level of replenishment for the Global Environment Facility in a time of economic and financial uncertainty has been hailed by CBD Executive Secretary.

Ahmed Djoghlaf said that the new funds represent a renewed confidence on the part of the international community in the capacity of the GEF to act as the financial mechanism for responsible development as well as its capability in performing its functions. It is a clear sign for this unique financial mechanism to address the challenges of the biodiversity crisis compounded by climate change.

[Read on]

Bonn, 17 May 2010 – Government officials from states across Europe and Africa as well as experts and conservationists came together in Biebrza National Park, Poland to discuss the survival of mainland Europe’s rarest songbird, the Aquatic Warbler. The UNEP Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) convened this meeting to enhance the future of this bird species managed and protected under the auspices of the CMS agreement on the Aquatic Warbler.

[Read on]

Bonn,17 May 2010 – during the period 4-12 May the Scientific and Technical Officer of CMS, Borja Heredia and Scientific Councillor, Roseline Beudels, convener of the Terrestrial Mammals Working Group, visited the project for the study and conservation of biodiversity in the area of Termit-Tin Toumma in Niger. The project is funded by the French Fund for the Environment (FFEM) and by the EU, and it is implemented in partnership with the Sahara Conservation Fund.

[Read on] [click here for the project's website]

Bonn,14 May 2010 – On Sunday, 16 May 2010 the International Day of the Baltic Harbour Porpoise will be marked. Since 2003, this special day has been celebrated by institutions and organizations around the Baltic Sea to inform the public about this critically endangered population of marine mammals and the threats it faces.

The full press release in English (click here) and German (click here) provides further information, including a preview of planned activities around the Baltic Sea. The ASCOBANS Secretariat would like to express its gratitude to all who participate in the event!

Following the event, reports of all activities focusing on this year’s International Day of the Baltic Harbour Porpoise will be published with photos on the ASCOBANS website (www.ascobans.org).

Bonn,11 May 2010 – On May 10 2010, the third edition of the Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO) was formally launched at the opening of the 14th meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical, and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Nairobi, Kenya.

A parallel launching event held at the UN Campus in Bonn, organized by the Secretariat of the CBD, presented the report and addressed in a panel discussion its alarming content regarding the status and trends of biodiversity, both at global and regional levels: the report confirms that the world has failed to meet its target to achieve a significant reduction in the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010.

For more information, see the CBD press release linked here.

Bonn, 6 May 2010 – On 8-9 May 2010 thousands of people around the world will be attending World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) events which will celebrate bird migration and highlight migratory birds in crisis.

Events to mark World Migratory Bird Day will include bird festivals, educational programmes, presentations and birdwatching trips organized by hundreds of dedicated groups and organizations around the world. The World's Rarest Bird Photo Competition is also linked to WMBD this year and is focusing on the world's most threatened birds.

Save migratory birds in crisis – every species counts!” - is this year's central WMBD theme and aims to raise awareness about Globally Threatened migratory birds, with a particular focus on those birds on the very edge of extinction - the critically endangered ones.

The full press release is available here in English. Cliquez ici pour lire le communiqué en français. Haga click aqui para leer le comunicado de prensa en español.

Nairobi, 6 May 2010 – The Wings Over Wetlands (WOW) project - the largest international wetland and waterbird conservation initiative to take place in the African-Eurasian region - is launching an innovative Flyway Training Kit for waterbird conservation at a side event presentation on the fringes of the fourteenth meeting of the Convention on Biological Diversity's Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA-14) at the UNEP Premises in Nairobi, Kenya.

[Read on - links to the WOW website]