Bonn, 17 April 2012 - The CMS COP10 adopted Resolution 10.19 on Migratory Species Conservation in the Light of Climate Change, which provides the building blocks for a new action plan for the next triennium. The newly appointed Scientific Councillor for Climate Change, Prof. Colin Galbraith, a long-term expert on the subject within the Scientific Council, is advising the Convention on the development and implementation of this ambitious programme.

At COP10 Parties from across the world reported serious declines in migratory species which are being associated with climate change. These include long-distance migratory birds in the Sahelo-Saharan region, marine mammals in the Arctic requiring sea ice to rest and to raise their young, as well as marine turtles and dugongs suffering from the destruction of seagrass pastures as a result of extreme climatic events in Australia. There is strong evidence to suggest that climate change is fast becoming one of the primary threats to the survival of animals on the move.

Accordingly, Resolution 10.19 includes a broad range of interventions. The first part targets adaptation and how daily conservation work needs to change, including appropriate monitoring targets and ecological network design. The identification of those migrants most vulnerable to climate change and the use of indicators are addressed.

The second part of the Resolution targets mitigation, not least since those measures aimed at curbing climate change, such as renewable energy, biofuel production and geo-engineering, are thought to have the most immediate negative impacts on migratory species today compared to the direct impact of climate change. One such example is the potential high mortality of birds and bats that can result if a wind farm is placed within a critical habitat.

COP10 calls upon Parties, Non-Parties and other stakeholders to further strengthen synergies in order to tackle the threat that climate change poses for animals on the move. At the national level, for example, the Focal Points of CMS and the CMS Scientific Councillors are requested to work closely with the UNFCCC Focal Points to address the needs of migratory species and to ensure that these are integrated into the national UNFCCC implementation. Resolution 10.19 highlights that such close national and international cooperation is required on climate change across all the biodiversity-related treaties. Ultimately success depends on the committed collaboration between all the relevant stakeholders, from treaties, NGOs and scientists all the way to local communities, which can inter alia contribute invaluable traditional knowledge.

The next steps with regards to implementation are the preparation of an action plan on climate change for the Convention, which will be led by Prof. Galbraith who is chairing the Working Group on Climate Change under the Scientific Council. In March a group of experts and partner organizations to the Convention held a teleconference to update each other on relevant activities and discuss the development of this work plan. Further information about the working group can be found by clicking here.