Target 15: The science base, information, training, awareness, understanding and technologies relating to migratory species, their habitats and migration systems, their value, functioning, status and trends, and the consequences of their loss, are improved, widely shared and transferred, and effectively applied.

 

►    The Memorandum of Understanding for the conservation of cetaceans and their habitats in the Pacific Islands Region: Whale and Dolphin Action Plan 2013-2017 includes:

Theme 2 - Capacity Building:

Objective 1- Increase in-country expertise and capacity:

2.2) Develop training packages on common priorities (e.g. stranding, data recording, legislation, communication, etc.) based on regional priorities and convene workshops based on identified needs.

2.3) Support internship training on whales and dolphins in existing research centers.

2.5) Conduct national and/or (sub) regional training workshops on necropsy, including collection and storage of tissues, skeletal remains and analysis.

2.6) Conduct sub-regional training and verification of whale and dolphin sightings, reporting, abundance estimation techniques.

2.7) Develop database complementary to that under the Marine Turtle Action Plan.

►    The Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Sharks; Conservation Plan includes:

Objective 1 - Ecological research, monitoring and data collection:

1.2) Endeavour to develop capacity in research, data collection, monitoring and facilitate training in data quality.

►    The Action Plan for the conservation of southern South American migratory grassland bird species and their habitats, adopted within the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Southern South American Migratory Grassland Bird Species and their Habitats includes:

Objective 12 - Capacity building:

12.1) Capacity building on species identification, aimed at regulatory agents.

►    The MoU concerning the conservation of the Manatee and small cetaceans of Western Africa and Macaronesia: Action Plan for the conservation of small cetaceans of Western Africa and Macaronesia (WAAM) includes:

Theme 1 – National, Regional and International Collaboration and Cooperation:

Objective 1 - Promote and enhance national, regional and international coordination and collaboration for the conservation of small cetaceans in western Africa:

1.1.1) Encourage and support western African countries to remove internal cross-sectoral barriers to effectively implement the Small Cetaceans Action Plan (SCAP) at local and national level, fully engaging all sectors of government with responsibility for the environment, fisheries, development and extraction industries.

1.1.2) Facilitate western African countries’ involvement and participation in relevant international meetings and initiatives for the conservation of small cetaceans.

1.1.3) Organise a community of western African scientists, government officials, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other interested parties for the exchange of news and other information in the public domain on topics related to small cetaceans in the western African region.

1.1.4) Promote cooperation and highlight achievements and experience gained in small cetacean conservation at regional and international conferences and fora.

1.1.7) Develop links with relevant regional organisations and processes (such as RFMOs, regional MEAs).

1.1.8) Develop links with relevant private sector organisations to reduce threats to small cetaceans caused by their activities.

1.1.9) Develop links with relevant non-governmental organisations.

1.1.10) Create a regional network of experts and nominate national focal points for implementation of the SCAP.

►    The COP Resolution 12.21 (Manila 2017) Climate Change and Migratory Species includes:

Knowledge exchange and capacity-building

• Establish a series of regional and sub-regional or national workshops involving scientists, NGOs, national focal points for all relevant environmental conventions, policy UNEP/CMS/Resolution 12.21/Annex 10 makers and managers to exchange and discuss information. (

• Establish better links between developing country needs and developed country research through CMS Family instruments to promote collaboration, coordination and actions.

• Increase the capacity of natural resource managers and other decision makers and enhance their ability to address the impacts on climate change on migratory species, including through the following actions:

- Undertake an assessment of training needs on climate change and migratory species at the national level

-Develop training on the use of existing and emerging tools for managing impacts of climate change on migratory species

-Explore and build on existing training courses and work with professional societies, academia, technical experts and natural resource agency training professionals to address key needs and augment adaptation training opportunities

-Identify and engage with key players who have experience in training opportunities for climate change, monitoring and modelling, and share that knowledge.

-Develop and encourage the use of existing webinars and e-learning courses on climate change and migratory species.

-Increase scientific and management capacity, including through university courses up to the PhD level, to address climate change impacts on migratory species.

 

EUROBATS

The EUROBATS MOP Resolution 8.10 Recommended Experience and Skills of Experts with regard to Quality of Assessments includes:

1. Ensure that experts/groups of experts carrying out assessment of projects, plans and programmes on populations of European bats meet the minimum standard of skills, knowledge and experience as described in the Annex to this Resolution.

2. Ensure that assessment reports of projects are objective and meet appropriate scientific quality standards.

 

The EUROBATS MOP Resolution 8.11 Implementation of the Conservation and Management Plan (2019 - 2022) includes:

 

a. With reference to Resolution 8.10:

  • Parties should ensure that experts/groups of experts carrying out assessment ofprojects, plans and programmes on populations of European bats meet the minimum standard of skills, knowledge and experience as described in the Annex to Resolution 8.10;
  • The Advisory Committee should develop a set of criteria for evaluating the quality of assessment reports.

d. With reference to Resolution 7.12:

  • The Secretariat, with advice from the Advisory Committee, should encourage projects on the Priority Species listed in the Annex and seek for external funding as appropriate;
  • The Advisory Committee should update the Annex to Resolution 7.12 as required;

e. With reference to Resolution 7.7 on Bat Conservation and Sustainable Forest Management:

  • Parties should develop their own national guidance appropriate to their bat communities, forest ecosystems and forest management practices based on the principles in the EUROBATS Bats and Forestry leaflet;
  • Parties should share best practice forestry guidance via the EUROBATS website.

f. With reference to Resolution 8.4 on the impacts of wind turbines on bat populations:Parties should:

  • develop and ensure implementation of national guidance following the most recent version of the EUROBATS Advisory Committee generic guidelines and encourage research and monitoring on the impacts of wind turbines on bat populations;
  • exclude wind energy developments from areas with a special focus on bat protections;
  • encourage all stakeholders to engage in research on the best methods for impact assessment and mitigating bat mortality at turbines for mutual benefit
  • encourage developers of wind energy projects and responsible authorities to make raw data from impact assessment and post-construction monitoring available for independent analysis.
  • encourage developers of wind energy projects and responsible authorities to make reports from impact assessments and post-construction monitoring publicly available.

The Advisory Committee should:

  • continue to compile relevant information, including methods to assess the impact of wind power generation on bat populations;
  • update the generic guidelines, now available as EUROBATS Publication Series No. 6, if required