The 2nd Philippine Environment Summit is a celebration of the Philippine environmental movement showcasing programmes and projects that contribute to social and economic advancement, while taking into account the need to protect the environment.

The 2nd meeting of the Northern Indian Ocean Marine Turtle Task Force (NIO-MTTF) established by the CMS IOSEA Marine Turtle MOU took place 29-30 January hosted by the Department of Wildlife Conservation, Sri Lanka in Colombo. Opened by Secretary Douglas Nanayakkara of the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Wildlife, the meeting’s main aim was to reach agreement on concerted regional actions to conserve marine turtles.

World governments attending this year’s largest wildlife summit have collectively endorsed actions on the conservation of a wide range of migratory species, many of which are near-extinct. The week-long CMS COP12 ended in Manila today with decisions on 34 species in submissions made by 24 Parties from Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe and Oceania. These include actions on Africa’s great carnivores, 10 species of vulture, and the endangered Whale Shark, known as the butanding in the Philippines.

UN Environment’s Executive Director, Erik Solheim conveyed an upbeat message when he addressed delegates on the third day of the CMS Conference of Parties. On the prospects for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, his final rallying cry echoed Barack Obama’s election slogan “Yes We Can”.

The Twelfth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP12) opened in the Philippines today. It marks the first time CMS has convened a COP in Asia since the international treaty was adopted in Bonn, Germany in 1979. and came into force in 1985.

Local broadcast media and the national and international press were present in large numbers at the press conference held immediately after the conclusion of the opening session of CMS COP12.

Governmental representatives from more than 30 Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) today concluded proposals that will pave the way for greater recognition of the role of wildlife in achieving global sustainable development goals. The Manila Declaration on Sustainable Development and Migratory Species will be considered for adoption to the Twelfth CMS Conference of the Parties (COP12), which opens in the Philippines tomorrow.

Protected marine areas (MPAs) in the country face the serious threats of pollution, dynamite and electric shock fishing and haphazard infrastructure construction for tourism.