Abidjan / Bonn, 19 November 2015– The Second Meeting of the African-Eurasian Migratory Landbirds Working Group is taking place from 25 to 27 November 2015 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. At the last CMS COP in Quito in November 2014 a comprehensive Action Plan for migratory landbirds was adopted by the Parties and the mandate of the Working Group was extended with the main task of promoting and monitoring the implementation of the Action Plan. The meeting will discuss priority regional activities to be developed and will set the roadmap for international conservation action for migratory landbirds until COP12 in 2017 and beyond.

One of the key issues that will be discussed is the impact of changes in land use in West Africa and how this is affecting migratory landbirds. The thematic areas covered by the Action Plan are habitat conservation, taking and trade, research and monitoring, and education and information. The most important threats identified are habitat loss and degradation at breeding and non-breeding sites resulting from human economic activities and land-use practices with negative effects on biodiversity. Additionally, climate change is likely to have an exacerbating effect. In order to address this issue, the Working Group will be discussing policy options to ensure that economic development and landscape conservation go hand in hand for the benefit of migratory landbirds and people. 

For more information about this meeting please contact Borja Heredia, Head of the CMS Avian Unit at [email protected].