Consultation Draft Released - First Draft Strategic Plan for Migratory Species 2015-2023

Photo by Tanya RosenBonn,
26 April 2013
- The first draft of the Strategic Plan for Migratory Species 2015-2023, prepared by the CMS Parties’ Inter-sessional Strategic Plan Working Group, has been released for comments by 30 September 2013.

The draft presents the highest level of the Plan’s content – the proposed Goals and Targets, based on the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. These are the focus of the current consultations while other chapters, such as on implementation, are only scoped in this draft and will be fleshed out in more detail for a future round of consultation.

In 2012, stakeholders’ initial views were gathered and background reports prepared on lessons learned from implementation of the current Strategic Plan 2006-2014, as well as ideas on the content of the future Plan.

The Working Group agreed at its first meeting (held in Bonn, Germany; November 2012) that the future Plan would be drafted for migratory species in general, to focus on conservation issues – as a Strategic Plan for Migratory Species. It will therefore serve as a guiding framework for all of those working towards the conservation of migratory species and also support the entire CMS Family. It was also decided that the future Plan would be based on the approach used in the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and its Aichi Biodiversity Targets.

Further, the Working Group agreed that a twin-track approach will be taken. Alongside the development of the Strategic Plan, a technical Companion Volume will be prepared to support the Plan’s implementation, for example by identifying the implementation tools in more detail.

The draft Strategic Plan has therefore been based on the results of the Working Group meeting and written contributions received from many CMS Parties and partners. Such input was very helpful in guiding the preparation of the current draft.

The new Strategic Plan will provide a clear, common agenda for all to work to - The vision, leadership and driving force for achievements for migratory species’ conservation!

It will be presented to the 11th meeting of the CMS Conference of the Parties in late 2014.

There will be several opportunities throughout 2013 and 2014 to comment on the different stages of the Plan while it is being drafted, and all CMS Parties and stakeholders are highly encouraged to engage early in this important exercise by commenting on this first Draft Plan. This will ensure the development of a strong and realistic Plan in support of the conservation of migratory species.

The Working Group and CMS Secretariat would very much appreciate hearing your views by 30 September 2013, and these should be emailed to [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected].

The draft Plan is available in French, Spanish and English on a dedicated CMS web page, and can be obtained by clicking HERE or using the following web link: http://www.cms.int/bodies/StC/strategic_plan_2015_2023_wg/strpln_wg_drafts.html

Last updated on 16 June 2014