Bonn, 27 May 2021 - On April 16 2021, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 75/271 "Nature knows no borders: transboundary cooperation a key factor for biodiversity conservation, restoration and sustainable use."

The UN Resolution, originally proposed by Kyrgyzstan and sponsored by 60 other countries, is unprecedented. It recognizes for the first time the importance of maintaining and enhancing connectivity among ecosystems and habitats for the conservation and restoration of biodiversity.

The General Assembly urges all Members States to increase international cooperation to improve connectivity of transboundary habitats, avoiding their fragmentation and preserving their health. The resolution also calls for collaboration among range States to maintain connectivity between ecosystems inhabited by specific species.

The Resolution elevates the importance of ecological connectivity and international cooperation for biodiversity conservation thus underpinning the CMS priorities for the post-2020 global biodiversity framework and the ongoing discussions under the Convention on Biological Diversity.

The publication "Rethinking Ecological Connectivity – A Pathway towards Living in Harmony with Nature", published by Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework - EU Support in partnership with the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme and CMS , further reinforces the need to integrate the various aspects of ecological connectivity in the framework.

This is part of a series to facilitate a comprehensive and participatory process leading to the negotiations of an ambitious post-2020 global biodiversity framework that fosters commitments for its adoption and implementation.

The publication explores the human dimensions of connectivity, emphasizing the interdependence of all living things among themselves and with their environment. To allow and improve spatial connectivity, linking conservation and development is crucial - explains the paper - and countries are urged to implement and monitor this integrated approach. The authors also pay attention to the need of developing appropriate indicators that measure both structural and functional connectivity.

Finally, CMS has recently launched a thematic webpage on Ecological Connectivity, as a go-to platform for showcasing information related to ecological connectivity and migratory species. The page describes and provide examples of ecological connectivity and its relevance to CMS and relevant global processes. The page, which is continuously updated, provides various resources such as main relevant policy decisions, technical publications and scientific papers, guidelines and other tools.