 During
a mission 20-21 February to the UNEP Governing Council
in Monaco, CMS Executive Secretary Robert Hepworth participated
on behalf of the CMS Family in sessions on Multilateral
Environmental Agreements (MEAs). His presentation focused
on the need to improve scientific excellence in biodiversity
and land related MEAs by supporting an umbrella body.
As the implementation of work relies mainly on intense
fundraising activities, CMS emphasised the need to increase
its staff resources. Opportunities to maximise synergies
with other bodies were also highlighted. In this context
Robert Hepworth gave particular emphasis to the Avian
Influenza Task Force as a successful example of inter-agency
co-operation. He concluded by stressing the need to publicise
the many examples of co-operation between MEAs: forming
strategic and in some cases geographical partnerships
amongst MEAs could give an extra dimension to CMS´
synergies.
About 100 Government representatives attending the meeting
gave a positive response to the presentations by global
MEAs. Points of special importance for CMS were a call
for greater emphasis on transboundary areas, the role
of MEAs in delivering pilot projects on the ground in
developing countries, and the general support for an incremental
and steady progression towards MEA synergies at a global
and national level.
On 20 February, Mr. Hepworth represented the CMS Family
at an informal meeting of the Environmental Management
Group (EMG). The latter has created a newly established
Sustainable United Nations “SUN” facility
to advise UN bodies how to be carbon-neutral; a sustainable
procurement group has also been established. The meeting
put considerable stress on linking MEAs with UN programmes,
which can deliver the action needed to ensure compliance
with the agreements. For CMS this means making strategic
and in some cases geographical partnerships with larger
programme bodies to broaden CMS´ synergy programmes.
On a bilateral basis, Mr. Hepworth met representatives
of the Russian Foreign Ministry, who expressed their hopes
concerning the accession of Russia to CMS. Russia is a
crucial range state for numerous migratory species, and
its accession would be of great importance to CMS.
|
