Decisions 15.207 to 15.209 - Cumulative Effects Assessments
Crosscutting Conservation Issues
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Decision directed to: Parties
Parties are encouraged to:
a) integrate provisions for cumulative effects assessments (CEA) into relevant national environmental legislation, with specific consideration for migratory species, particularly those listed in CMS Appendices I and II;
b) develop and implement national policy and guidance on the application of CEAs, ensuring that the impacts on migratory species are systematically assessed and addressed;
c) support the development of robust, modern and uniform environmental impact assessments, including CEAs, for activities with potential impacts on migratory species in areas within and beyond national jurisdictions under the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement);
d) collaborate and share information to jointly develop and implement CEA frameworks for local, national, regional or international application, and to collaborate and share information with intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations in support of these efforts;
e) strengthen methodologies and criteria for identifying, evaluating and mitigating cumulative impacts on CMS-listed migratory species and their habitats, including cross-border cumulative effects and effects in underrepresented ecosystems.
Decision directed to: Scientific Council
The Scientific Council is requested to:
a) develop, subject to the availability of resources, guidance for the assessment of cumulative effects on migratory species, including the establishment of common standards and methodologies suitable for application across CMS Parties, which should include:
i. an assessment of the current terminology used in the context of CEAs and recommendations for a harmonized vocabulary, including clear definitions of ‘cumulative effects’, ‘cumulative effects assessment’, ‘pressures’ and other key terms, for use across CMS guidance and other international frameworks;
ii. advice on when and how migratory species should be assessed within CEAs, and best practices, including those specific to challenging contexts such as marine environments, or species- or sector-specific challenges;
iii. consideration of technological advances relevant to CEA methodologies, including the potential use of artificial intelligence, machine learning and other innovative tools to support the assessment and interpretation of cumulative effects, as well as advice on the applicability and limitations of such technologies, outlining potential use cases and associated data or capacity requirements;
iv. recommendations for adapting existing CEA frameworks to better accommodate the needs of migratory species;
b) in collaboration with its Expert Working Group on Animal Culture and Social Complexity, investigate the potential of social impact assessment methodologies for understanding impacts of human activities on social structure and culture of migratory species.
Decision directed to: Secretariat
The Secretariat shall, subject to the availability of resources:
a) support the development of guidance materials on the implementation of CEA for migratory species, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders and expert bodies;
b) promote and facilitate collaboration between Parties and relevant organizations such as the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and other scientific or technical bodies engaged in the development or implementation of CEA frameworks;
c) engage in processes to operationalize the BBNJ Agreement, in order to promote coherence and ensure consideration of migratory species, and explore ways for the Scientific Council to contribute to such processes.