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German Minister
Visits CMS Family in Bonn |
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Bonn,
4 February 2010 - Parliamentary State
Secretary at the German Federal Ministry for
the Environment, Ursula Heinen-Esser visited
the CMS Secretariat to meet staff and hear about
the activities of the Convention and the co-located
Agreements, AEWA, ASCOBANS and EUROBATS.
In welcoming the
Minister, CMS Executive Secretary, Elizabeth
M. Mrema thanked the German Government for its
long-standing support of the Convention since
its very inception in 1972 when the idea of
an international treaty for the protection of
migratory species was first suggested.
Read
on
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Whales, Dolphins
and Porpoises Suffer Dramatic Declines from
By-catch in Fishing Nets |
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Bonn,
4 February 2010 - Toothed whales are
currently suffering from a major threat which
is unsustainable loss from by-catch in fishery
operations. For 86% of all toothed whale species,
entanglement and death in gillnets, traps, weirs,
purse seines, longlines and trawls poses a major
risk. Lack of food and forced dietary shifts
due to overfishing pose additional threats to
13 species.
These are among
the findings of a report launched today on the
website of the Convention on the Conservation
of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (UNEP/CMS).
A corresponding poster available online shows
for the first time all toothed whale species
sorted according to their conservation status
as defined by the IUCN Red List of Threatened
Species ™.
This encyclopaedia
on all 72 species of toothed whales includes
the most recent scientific findings on the distribution,
migration, behaviour and threats to this group
of whales. Maps showing the currently known
distribution of each species were provided by
IUCN and the Global Mammal Assessment.
Read
on (English) (Pressemitteilung)
See the Encyclopaedia
and the Poster.
The poster can be ordered from the Secretariat.
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World Wetlands
Day 2010: Caring for Wetlands: an Answer to
Climate Change |
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Bonn,
2 February 2010 - World Wetlands Day
(WWD) is being celebrated around the world today
under the theme “Wetlands, Biodiversity
and Climate Change”. The annual event
marks the date of the signing of the Convention
on Wetlands on 2 February 1971 in the Iranian
city of Ramsar and represents a unique opportunity
to raise awareness about the importance of wetlands
around one central theme each year.
This year’s
theme, “Wetlands, Biodiversity and Climate
Change” and the associated slogan “Caring
for Wetlands: an Answer to Climate Change”
highlight the impact of climate change on wetland
ecosystems and the role wetlands play in climate
change mitigation and adaptation.
Read
on
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One of the World's
Least Known Birds Found in Afghanistan |
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Bonn,
26 January 2010 - the BBC, among other
media, has reported that a team of ornithologists
has discovered a living specimen of Large-billed
Reed-warbler (Acrocephalus orinus),
a species often known as the world’s least
known bird.
The species was
first identified in 1867 and not seen again
until 2006. A team from the US-based NGO, the
Wildlife Conservation Society , a CMS partner,
has recently found a flock of the birds in a
remote area of Afghanistan. The Large-billed
Reed-warbler belongs to the Muscicapidae family
of passerine birds, which is included on Appendix
II of the Convention.
Read more on the
BBC
website.
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Ask the Expert
- Elizabeth Mrema |
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Bonn,
25 January 2010 - the guest on UNEP’s
“Ask the Expert” forum on Friday,
29 January, will be Elizabeth Mrema, the Executive
Secretary of CMS. She will be answering questions
on the theme of "Migratory species and
biodiversity depletion".
Elizabeth’s
biography can be found here.
If you have a question regarding
migratory species and biodiversity depletion,
do get in touch with Elizabeth on the day through
the forum, which can be accessed here.
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Berlin,
21 January 2010 - CMS and CBD have
jointly developed a calendar, which is based
on the four central messages promoted by the
International Year of Biodiversity. It serves
as a reference point throughout the year, providing
useful information and highlighting important
dates of interests for the IYB. The calendar
has been published in English, French, Spanish
and German with the financial support from the
German Federal Ministry of the Environment,
Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety and the
CBD Secretariat.
[Read
on]
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2010 International
Year of Biodiversity launched in Berlin |
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Berlin,
11 January 2010 - The International
Year of Biodiversity was launched by German
chancellor Angela Merkel at a ceremony in the
heart of the German capital yesterday.
The United Nations General Assembly has declared
2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity
(IYB) to raise awareness of the importance of
biodiversity among the public and to reignite
global efforts to curb the unprecedented loss
in biodiversity. Experts believe the world's
animal and plant species are disappearing at
a rate about 1000 times the natural rate and
that human activity, such as the expansion of
cities, farming and infrastructure development
are causing the accelerated loss in the world's
biodiversity.
[Read
on]
[CBD
Press Release]
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Ask the Expert
- Edoardo Zandri |
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Bonn, 18 January 2010 - the
guest on UNEP’s “Ask the Expert”
forum on Tuesday, 26 January, will be Edoardo
“Ed” Zandri, who works as Task Manager
for Biodiversity of Natural Resources at the
Global Environment Facility. He was Chief Technical
Advisor of the innovative UNEP/GEF African-Eurasian
Flyways regional project - "Wings over
Wetlands".
Ed’s biography
can be found here.
If you have a question regarding
migratory species conservation, do get in touch
with Ed on the day through the forum, which
can be accessed here.
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IOSEA Report for
2009 and E-News January 2010 |
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Bangkok, 14 January 2010 – the
Secretariat of IOSEA, the CMS instrument dealing
with marine turtles in the Indian Ocean and
South-East Asia has just published its “2009
Year-End Review and Look Ahead” and the
January 2010 edition of its electronic newsletter.
The review can
be downloaded here
in pdf format and the newsletter can be accessed
here
via the IOSEA website.
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Welcome to Borja
Heredia as Scientific and Technical Officer |
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Bonn, 12 January 2010 - Dr
Borja Heredia has entered on duty as the new
Scientific and Technical Officer at the CMS
Secretariat. He will also serve as the ASCOBANS
Senior Advisor.
Borja is well
known to many in CMS circles as he has been
Spain’s representative on the Scientific
Council, and has participated in several CMS
COPs and MOU meetings, as well as being involved
in other MEAs such as CBD and CITES.
read
on
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Bonn, 12 January 2010 - in
October 2008 the Secretariat announced that
it had entered a Memorandum of Collaboration
with the Global Biodiversity Information Facility
(GBIF) concerning the future management of the
GROMS (Global Register of Migratory Species)
database. GROMS contains information on nearly
three thousand vertebrate migratory species,
with their status under the IUCN Red Data List.
The total number of species that migrate can
only be estimated, but it is thought to be in
the range of 5,000-10,000 including 1,000 fish.
New digital maps
showing the range of hundreds of species and
photographs have now been posted on the new
GROMS website – http://groms.gbif.org/.
The species database can still be accessed through
the old GROMS site at www.groms.de.
GROMS was developed by Dr Klaus Riede at Alexander
Koenig Museum in Bonn. GBIF is an international
government-initiated and -funded initiative
whose aim is to make biodiversity data available
to anyone, for scientific research, conservation
and sustainable development.
|
BirdLife's and
Audubon conservation work gets Royal support |
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22 December 2009 - “Protecting
threatened species is vitally important to developing
a different relationship with our planet”,
said HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco at a recent
event in Washington DC, United States. “Humanity
needs to adopt a more humble attitude, aware
that it needs other species to survive”.
The event was organised by BirdLife, Audubon
(BirdLife in the US) and the Prince Albert II
of Monaco Foundation, and took place at the
Washington DC Residence of H.E. Gilles Noghes
- the Ambassador of the Principality of Monaco
to the US. The evening was also attended by
Bernard Fautrier and John B. Kelly – respectively
CEO of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation
and President of the Foundation’s US Chapter.
[Read
on]
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International Search
Effort to Find Slender-billed Curlew |
|
Bonn,
17 December 2009 – The largest
ever attempt to rediscover a possibly extinct
species will be mounted this winter with teams
of skilled volunteer observers scouring more
than 35 countries around the Mediterranean,
Middle East and the Indian subcontinent in the
hope of confirming the continued existence of
the Slender-billed Curlew.
The Slender-billed
Curlew (Numenius tenuirostris) is one
of the four most threatened (Critically Endangered)
species listed under AEWA and has the smallest
population estimate amongst them with no confirmed
records since 2001.
[read
on: link to AEWA website]
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Bonn,
December 2009 – Our colleagues
at the Western Hemisphere Migratory Species
Initiative (WHMSI) have just posted their December
update on their website.
They
have news on training initiatives and capacity
building, an endorsement form WWF, details of
improvements to their web presence and initial
plans for the fourth meeting of partners in
2010..
[link
to the WHMSI website]
|
The 36th CMS Standing
Committee sets the course for 2010 |
|
Bonn,
4 December 2009 – The 36th Standing
Committee started with opening statements given
by the Chair, Mr. Mohammed Saud Sulayem of Saudi
Arabia, the Host Government and depositary (Germany),
Bakary Kante the Director of UNEP’s Environmental
Law and Conventions and the newly appointed
Executive Secretary of CMS. Mr. Kante (DELC)
stated that the International Year of Biodiversity
would have a great impact on the CMS Family.
He assured the CMS Secretariat of UNEP’s
support and promised US$ 50,000 for the forthcoming
meeting on the conservation of sharks in February
2010. Mr. Kante explained how the recruitment
of the new Executive Secretary had been conducted
resulting in the appointment of Ms. Elizabeth
Maruma Mrema.
[Read
on] |
Third Edition of
the CMS Family Guide Published |
|
Bonn,
10 December - The third, fully revised
edition of the CMS encyclopaedia, the CMS Family
Guide, has been published in English. The new
version was presented at the recent Standing
Committee meeting.
The Guide has
been posted on the CMS website in PDF format
(see link below) and paper copies can be ordered
from the Secretariat.
Click here
for a link to the CMS publications page
|
CMS at UNFCCC Conference
in Copenhagen |
|
Bonn,
8 December - Migratory species are
particularly vulnerable to climate change. A
current study conducted by the Zoological Society
of London (ZSL) for CMS illustrates that the
impact of climate change on migratory species
globally is already detrimental. Preliminary
findings are available in a summary brochure
available for download on the CMS publications
website in order to brief policy makers at the
earliest opportunity.
This research
is currently being presented at the UNFCCC COP15
in Copenhagen. You can find out more at the
ZSL booth during the first week and at the CMS
booth during the second Copenhagen week. Both
are located in Hall H of the Bella Conference
Centre. Alternatively, please get in touch with
the UNEP/CMS Secretariat directly.
[Read
on] [download
the leaflet (PDF)] |
Year of the Gorilla
Event Mobilizes Major Audience in Paris |
|
Paris,
5 December - A major outreach event
to mark the Year of the Gorilla at the Museum
of Natural History in Paris attracted an interested
public in large numbers.
The event on 5th December, organized by the
French Ministry for the Environment (MEEDDM),
was held in the run-up to the United Nations’
climate change conference in Copenhagen.
Theatre performances,
which were inspired by African oral traditions,
raised awareness on the plight of gorillas and
their role to conserve rainforests as keystone
species.
A series of films
which was screened in the auditorium of the
Museum dealt with threats to gorillas as a result
of logging, charcoal production, mining activities,
armed conflicts and poaching. The role of Lowland
and Mountain Gorillas for biodiversity was emphasized
in the film “Retour aux Virungas”
directed by André Lucas, who guided the
audience though the film sessions.
[Read
on]
[Discours
de Bert Lenten en français]
[programme
complet en français]
[information
presse en français]
|
Elizabeth Maruma
Mrema appointed new Executive Secretary of
CMS |
|
Bonn, 2 December 2009 –
UNEP Executive Director, Mr. Achim Steiner has
appointed Elizabeth Maruma Mrema as the new
Executive Secretary of the Convention on the
Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals
(CMS) Secretariat, based in Bonn with effect
from 1 December 2009. The announcement was made
today at the 36th Meeting of the CMS Standing
Committee.
In the four months preceding her appointment,
Ms Mrema, the national of the United Republic
of Tanzania, served as Officer in Charge of
the CMS Secretariat.
[Read
on] |
Recent Developments
on the “Wings over Wetlands” Project
|
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Bonn, 1 December 2009 –
There is fresh information about initiatives
being undertaken under the “Wings over
Wetlands” on the project’s website.
“Wings over Wetlands” is the largest
wetland conservation initiative ever to have
been undertaken in the African-Eurasian region
and is being funded by the Global Environment
Facility, the German Government, AEWA and other
donors.
Click here
to link to the WOW website, where
you can subscribe to their e-newsletter
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Experiences in
Flyway Conservation - a Paper by UNEP-GEF
|
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Nairobi, November 2009 –
UNEP's Division of Global Environment Facility
Coordination (UNEP/DGEF) and a number of leading
organisations involved in the flyway-scale conservation
of migratory birds have published a landmark
issue paper entitled "The Experience of
UNEP GEF and Partners in Flyway Conservation".
The paper provides
an overview of the key lessons learned from
both the WOW Project and the Siberian Crane
Wetland Project - two flagship flyway initiatives
currently being supported by UNEP GEF.
The paper illustrates
how both projects have become a model internationally
and in other regions, showing how the "Flyway
Approach" can be put into practice. It
is a demonstration of UNEP GEF's continued commitment
to build international support for flyway conservation.
Click here
to link to the report on the Wings Over Wetlands
website.
|
Ninth World Wilderness
Congress in Mexico |
|
Bonn, 24 November 2009 –
Wilderness and the protection of large transboundary
protected areas are vital to conserve migratory
species. The Ninth World Wilderness Congress
made an important contribution in this regard,
bringing together government representatives,
scientists, conservation managers, NGOs, local
people and several UN agencies in Mexico earlier
this month.
[Read
on]
[link
to the Wild9 website]
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Ethiopia to become
113th Party to CMS (and 63rd Party to AEWA) |
|
Bonn, 24 November 2009 –
The UNEP/CMS Secretariat welcomes the accession
of Ethiopia to CMS as well as to the Agreement
on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory
Waterbirds (AEWA). Ethiopia will be the 113th
Party to the Convention with effect from 1 January
2010 and the 63rd Party to AEWA with effect
from 1 February 2010.
[Read
on]
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Council of Europe
and United Nations Strengthen Synergies for
Nature Preservation |
|
Bonn, Bern, Strasbourg, 23 November
2009 – The Council of Europe’s
Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife
and Natural Habitats, known as the “Bern
Convention”, and the United Nations’
Convention on the Conservation of Migratory
Species of Wild Animals, known as the “Bonn
Convention”, have signed today in Bern
a Memorandum of Co-operation (MoC) on the occasion
of their common 30th anniversary.
[Read on Press Release [English][Français]
MoC Text
[English][
Français] |
BirdLife International
Creates Caribbean Refuge |
|
Cambridge,
23 November 2009 - BirdLife International
has just established a shorebird refuge on former
hunting swamps on the Caribbean Island of Barbados.
Barbados is an important stopover site for nearctic
birds as they migrate. The refuge has been established
with the support of the US Wildlife and Fisheries
Services and with the cooperation of hunters.
Read the full
article here
(links to BirdLife's website)
|
BirdLife International
“Born to Travel” Campaign |
|
Bonn,
16 November 2009 – BirdLife International
has produced a fascinating film on bird migration
as part of its“Born to Travel” campaign.
Focussing on migration between Europe and Africa,
the film contains excellent footage of a range
of species and can be seen via the website of
NABU, BirdLife’s German partner.
Click
here
|
Biodiversity in
the UN System Report in Preparation |
|
Bonn, 13 November 2009 –
Melanie Virtue, CMS Inter-Agency Liaison Officer,
joined the other biodiversity related convention
secretariats and UN agencies at an Environment
Management Group meeting in Rome, 10-11 November
2009.
The writing team
met to finalise the details of the report “Biodiversity
in the UN System: a UN system–wide contribution
to the post 2010 Biodiversity Agenda.”
The report will be launched at the United Nations
General Assembly on 22 September 2010, while
a draft will be made available to the 14th meeting
of the Convention on Biodiversity’s Subsidiary
Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological
Advice in May 2010.
For further details
contact Melanie at secretariat@cms.int |
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Bonn, 6 November 2009 –
One of the Secretariat’s longest-serving
staff members, Liam Addis, is leaving CMS to
take up a post at the Climate Change Secretariat
(UNFCCC).
Liam joined CMS
nearly fifteen years ago to become at that time
only the fourth full-time member of staff. Most
recently, Liam has worked as an External Relations
Assistant and played a key role in bringing
the negotiation of the Gorilla Agreement to
fruition.
His colleagues
at CMS wish him all the best for the future.
|
IUCN Red Data List
Update |
|
Bonn, 4 November 2009 –
the latest annual update by the IUCN makes depressing
reading, as it appears that there is no end
in sight for the continuing extinction crisis.
Twenty percent of mammals are in danger of extinction
(including the gorilla and the scimitar-horned
oryx), as are 33% of amphibians and over 25%
of reptiles.
“We are
determined to fight on to save endangered migratory
species”, said Elizabeth Mrema, Officer-in-Charge
of UNEP/CMS. “The latest IUCN report only
serves to show how important it is for the countries
of the world to work together and to ensure
that all the fine words are translated into
effective action. CMS is one of the forums that
enables governments to do so”.
[read
more on the IUCN website]
|
350+ Species of
Wild Birds Photographed in South Africa in
One Day! |
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Randburg/Bonn, 3 November 2009
– On 24 October, a grand total of 160
bird photographers followed the call of Mark
Anderson, the Executive Director of Bird Life
South Africa and the winner of the 2008 AEWA
Waterbird Conservation Award to photograph 350
different wild birds in South Africa over a
period of 24 hours and to make these photos
available on a single website within the next
24 hours.
This unique presentation
of South Africa’s amazing avifauna was
one of 5200 creative activities which were carried
out in 181 countries in support of the global
350.org’s International Day of climate
change on 24 October 2009
[read
more on the AEWA website]
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