Campo grande: Governments, scientists, conservationists, indigenous peoples, and local communities gathered here to address urgent conservation challenges facing migratory species that cross international boundaries.
According to Emirates News Agency, the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CMS CoP15) to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals commenced on March 23 in Campo Grande, Brazil, and will continue until March 29. Convened under the slogan 'Connecting Nature to Sustain Life', CMS CoP15 highlights the essential role of ecological connectivity in conserving ecosystems that are vital for both migratory species and human well-being.
With half of the world's GDP being directly or indirectly dependent on nature, protecting species and ecosystems is not solely an environmental concern but also an economic and social necessity. The high-level meeting aims to implement an ambitious set of actions addressing the global biodiversity crisis. These actions include strengthening global and coordinated conservation efforts for migratory species, placing 44 additional fish, birds, and terrestrial animals under protection, and implementing targeted conservation actions to address pressing needs and threats.
The meeting also aims to combat illegal take, address the overexploitation of species, enhance ecological connectivity to safeguard vital migratory corridors, and advance sustainable infrastructure to minimize negative impacts on migratory species. It emphasizes the importance of global collaboration in addressing challenges to migratory species by reinforcing synergies with other multilateral environmental agreements.
CMS CoP15 serves as a crucial step for multilateral cooperation leading up to the COP17 on Biological Diversity, slated for October this year. Achieving international biodiversity commitments under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework necessitates protecting migratory species and mitigating negative impacts on them.