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Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS)

Migratory Species are those animals that travel from one place to another because of various factors such as food, sunlight, climate and temperature etc. The movement between habitats can sometimes go beyond thousands of miles/Km for some migratory birds and animals. A migratory route can involve nesting and also requires the availability of habitats before and after each migration.


In order to safeguard the migratory species all through their range countries, a convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) was signed under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in the year 1979 in Germany, also known as the Bonn Convention. It entered into force on 1st November 1983. It is the only international environmental treaty that provides a platform for the conservation and sustainable use of migratory species and their habitats. CMS is established utterly for the conservation and management of terrestrial, aquatic and avian migratory species throughout their range. The main purpose of the convention is to specify the duty of States to safeguard the species (you may also interested in Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna & Flora (CITES)) living within or passing through their national boundaries/ jurisdiction.

CMS acts as a framework Convention. The agreements may range from legally binding treaties to less formal instruments, such as Memoranda of Understanding (MoU), and can be adapted to the requirements of particular regions.

Structure

 

 

 

Classification

Under the convention migratory species are classified into two categories

Appendix I includes migratory species which are endangered or in danger of extinction.

Appendix II lists migratory species that requires or would significantly need international cooperation. .

Conference of Parties

The Conference of parties is the decision making authority of the convention and currently there are 130 parties to the convention, Maldives being the latest one to join it (As of November 2019).

CMS- COP 13

India is the host for the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species for the next three years till 2023, and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change hosted COP 13 to the convention at Gandhinagar in Gujarat from !7th-22nd February 2020 on behalf of India. “Migratory species connect the planet and we welcome them home.” was the theme for this year. The logo was inspired by ‘Kolam’ a southern Indian traditional art form which depicts key migratory species in India like Amur falcon, humpback whale and marine turtles. The mascot for CMS COP13, “Gibi - The Great Indian Bustard” is a critically endangered species that has been conferred the highest protection status under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

COP 13 proposed to include 10 new species for protection under CMS out of which three are Indians: Asian Elephant, Bengal Florican and Great Indian Bustard.


India and CMS

India is the party or signatory to the convention since 1983, and also has retained some non-legally binding MoU with CMS on the conservation and management of Siberian Cranes (1998), Marine Turtles (2007), Dugongs (2008) and Raptors (2016).

As per Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, India is a temporary home to numerous migratory animals and birds. The important ones are 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) which 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”.

World Migratory Bird Day

Every year, on May 9 the United Nations Environment Programme celebrates the World Migratory Bird Day since 2006. It is celebrated to create awareness about the essence to conserve migratory birds and their habitats. This year it was celebrated with the theme of “Birds Connect our World”

 

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