PROPOSALS UNDER CMS COP14

19th February, 2024 Environment

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Picture Courtesy: https://www.cms.int/en/news/official-logo-and-slogan-announced-14th-meeting-conference-parties-convention-migratory-species

Context: The 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP14) concluded successfully with significant progress made in protecting diverse migratory species.

Details

The Fourteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP 14) concluded on February 17, 2024, with several key outcomes, including the adoption of listing proposals for 14 migratory species and resolutions for global wildlife conservation.

Outcomes

Listing of 14 migratory species: The conference adopted proposals to include 14 migratory species in the CMS Appendices, providing them with enhanced international protection. These species included the Eurasian lynx, Pallas's cat, guanaco, Lahille's bottlenose dolphin, harbour porpoise (Baltic Proper population), Peruvian pelican, Magellanic plover, bearded vulture, Blackchin guitarfish, bull ray, Lusitanian cownose ray, and Gilded and Laulao catfish.

Species	Origin	Migration Area	IUCN Status	Threats
Eurasian Lynx	Europe & Central Asia	Fragmented across Scandinavia, Carpathians, Russia	Least Concern	Habitat fragmentation, human-wildlife conflict, hunting
Peruvian Pelican	Coastal waters of Chile, Ecuador, Panama	Breeds on islands off Peru, migrates north along Pacific coast	Near Threatened	Bycatch, disease outbreaks, El Niño events impacting prey
Pallas's Cat	Central Asia	Fragmented across grasslands, steppes, mountains in Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Turkmenistan	Near Threatened	Habitat degradation, illegal trade, prey decline
Guanaco	Arid & semi-arid regions of South America	Ranges from Ecuador & Peru south through Argentina & Chile	Least Concern	Habitat fragmentation, fencing, oil & gas development, illegal hunting
Laulao Catfish	Amazon River basin	Long distances within basin for spawning & feeding	Least Concern	Overfishing, habitat degradation from dams & deforestation
Balkan Lynx	Balkan Peninsula	Fragmented populations in North Macedonia, Albania, Greece	Critically Endangered	Habitat loss, poaching, roadkill
Lahille's Bottlenose Dolphin	Coastal waters of Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay	Primarily coastal, some movement between countries	Vulnerable	Bycatch, habitat degradation, pollution
Harbour Porpoise	Coastal waters of Europe, North America, Asia (focus on "Baltic Proper" population)	Varies by region, some long-distance migrations	Least Concern	Bycatch, underwater noise pollution, habitat degradation
Magellanic Plover	Southern South America	Breeds in Argentina & Chile, migrates north to Peru & Brazil	Near Threatened	Habitat loss, human disturbance, predation
Bearded Vulture	Mountain ranges in Southern Europe & Africa	Breeds in mountains, long-distance migrations for food	Near Threatened	Poisoning, power line collisions, food scarcity
Blackchin Guitarfish	Tropical & subtropical waters worldwide	Primarily coastal, some movement between regions	Critically Endangered	Bycatch, habitat degradation
Bull Ray	Tropical & subtropical waters worldwide	Coastal & pelagic, some movement between regions	Critically Endangered	Bycatch, habitat degradation
Lusitanian Cownose Ray	Eastern Atlantic Ocean & Mediterranean Sea	Coastal & pelagic, some movement between regions	Critically Endangered	Bycatch, habitat degradation, pollution
Gilded Catfish	Amazon & Orinoco River basins	Long distances within basins for spawning & feeding	Vulnerable	Overfishing, habitat degradation from dams & deforestation

Significance

Increased international cooperation: Listing species in the CMS Appendices encourages and facilitates cooperative conservation efforts among range states, promoting coordinated action across borders.
Enhanced protection: Inclusion in the Appendices triggers specific legal obligations for countries to implement conservation measures for the listed species and their habitats.
Improved research and monitoring: The COP encourages parties to conduct research and monitor populations to assess the effectiveness of conservation strategies and adapt them as needed.
Potential for positive impact: By addressing threats and promoting effective conservation efforts, COP14 outcomes could contribute to the positive impact on the sustainability of migratory species and the overall health of ecosystems.

Conclusion

The outcomes of CMS COP14 underscore global efforts to protect and conserve migratory species facing various threats. The adoption of listing proposals reflects a commitment to international collaboration and conservation measures to ensure the survival and well-being of these species in their migratory journeys.

Must Read Articles:

CMS COP14: https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/cms-cop14

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Climate change and other global environmental challenges introduce significant uncertainties into ecosystem management. How to develop adaptive and flexible conservation strategies that are resilient to future changes and incorporate new scientific understanding as it emerges?

Answer Structure:

●Start with a brief introduction that defines the key terms and concepts, such as climate change, ecosystem management, adaptive and flexible conservation strategies, resilience, and scientific understanding.

●Provide some examples of the uncertainties and challenges posed by climate change and other environmental factors on ecosystem management, such as biodiversity loss, habitat degradation, invasive species, natural disasters, etc.

●Explain why adaptive and flexible conservation strategies are needed to cope with these uncertainties and challenges, and how they differ from conventional or rigid conservation approaches. Mention some of the principles and features of adaptive and flexible conservation, such as learning by doing, stakeholder participation, adaptive governance, scenario planning, etc.

●Discuss how adaptive and flexible conservation strategies can enhance the resilience of ecosystems and human well-being in the face of future changes and uncertainties. Provide some evidence or case studies of successful or promising examples of adaptive and flexible conservation in different contexts or regions.

●Conclude with a summary of the main points and some recommendations or suggestions for improving or implementing adaptive and flexible conservation strategies in India or globally.

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PROPOSALS UNDER CMS COP14