The Secretariat of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) is pleased to inform you that the motion process preceding the forthcoming World Conservation Congress of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN WCC) has entered the electronic voting segment. Electronic voting on motions is open only to eligible IUCN members until 21 October at 13.00 GMT.

One the motions (Motion 088) calls for further attention to ecological connectivity and for the inclusion of the concept in the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. The motion, which was submitted by BirdLife International with the support of a wide array of BirdLife partners as well as other organizations and the Swiss Government, is closely aligned with CMS Resolution 13.1 (the “Gandhinagar Declaration ”).

Following the online discussion, the final version of Motion 088 on Ecological Connectivity conservation in the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework: from local to international levels, has been made available here. The IUCN Motion Working Group has selected Motion 088 for electronic voting.

Motions adopted by electronic vote prior to the WCC will be recorded en bloc by the IUCN Member’s Assembly, without re-opening the discussion. Both the WCC and the Assembly have been postponed to dates in 2021 yet to be determined.

Acknowledging that the e-voting is a crucial segment of the motion process to define the IUCN’s general policy, the CMS Secretariat encourages Parties to the Convention and partner organizations that are IUCN Members eligible to vote, to engage in this process and support CMS priorities as articulated in CMS Resolution 13.1.

The motions subject to voting can be viewed at the following link: www.iucncongress2020.org/assembly/motions. A guidance note for electronic voting can be found here.

For further information on this subject, please contact the CMS Partnerships and Fundraising Officer, Ms. Laura Cerasi: [email protected].