(Daily News Scan - DNS English) Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP13)
India is hosting the 13th Conference of the parties to the Convention on Migratory Species. The Conference has started on 17 of February and will conclude on 22nd February. The representatives from multiple countries will be taking part in this conference held in Gandhinagar, in the state of Gujarat. It is a UN sponsored meet to protect migratory species of Wild Animals. The theme for this year’s conference is “Migratory species connect the planet and together we welcome them home”.
In this DNS we will know about the Convention on Migratory Species
Migratory species are exposed to a wide variety of threats. These threats may include habitat shrinkage in breeding areas, excessive hunting along migration routes and degradation of their feeding grounds. As a result of these threats International concerns grew and CMS was adopted in 1979 in Germany. CMS (Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals) is also known as Bonn Convention. The aim of this convention is the conservation of terrestrial, marine, and avian migratory species throughout their range. The convention entered into force in November 1983.
Convention on Migratory Species is an environmental treaty of the United Nations. It is the only global convention for the conservation of migratory species, their habitats and migrant routes. The meeting is held in every three years. The global assessment by the International Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services released in May informs that at least one million species face the threat of extinction and that the ecosystem services that sustain and underpin human life are severely threatened. A new report by the Convention of Migratory Species finds that populations of most migratory species are declining. The week-long meet will provide an opportunity for countries to plan and arrive at decisions that will contribute to the new strategy for biodiversity that will be finalized later this year at the UN-sponsored summit on biodiversity.
The Appendix I of the Convention lists ‘Threatened Migratory Species’. Appendix II lists ‘Migratory Species requiring international cooperation’. In this year’s meet the Urial, a wild sheep from Central Asia, is being proposed for inclusion under Appendix II. Also, the Gobi Bear and Persian Leopard are being considered for inclusion under the Central Asian Mammals Initiative (CAMI), a 14-country regional initiative that currently covers 15 species.
Now let us know about the association of India with CMS.
India became a member of the CMS in1983. As per the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, “India is a temporary home to several migratory animals and birds. The important among these include Amur Falcons, Bar-headed Geese, Black-necked cranes, Marine turtles, Dugongs, Humpbacked Whales, etc. The Indian sub-continent is also part of the major bird flyway network, i.e., the Central Asian Flyway (CAF) that covers areas between the Arctic and Indian Oceans, and covers at least 279 populations of 182 migratory water-bird species, including 29 globally threatened species. India has also launched the National Action Plan for the conservation of migratory species under the Central Asian Flyway”.
India has achieved its target of doubling the population of tigers two years before. India would be taking a leading role in promoting green economy including conservation of mountain ecology with people's participation. The Government of India has launched the National Conservation Strategy for the Indian one-horned rhinos, which are found in Assam, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal, in 2019.
Some of the outcomes that are expected from the CMSCOP 13 are negotiated decisions, political commitments, and new initiatives. The new initiatives may include proposal to add 10 new species for protection under the CMS. These include the Asian Elephant, the Jaguar, the Great Indian Bustard, and the Smooth Hammerhead Shark. Parties will also discuss on the adoption of dedicated concerted actions for 12 different species, including the Giraffe, the Ganges River Dolphin, the Common Guitarfish and the Antipodean Albatross.
