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Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals – CMS
Bonn/Ventotene 26 May 2022 – Visualizing how migratory animals connect continents, countries, sites and habitats is the result of an international scientific effort under the aegis of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), in developing the first atlas of bird migration across three continents.
CMS, an environmental UN treaty, will launch the Eurasian-African Bird Migration Atlas today at the Museum of Migration on the Italian island of Ventotene, as the first part of a broader initiative to develop a global atlas of animal migration.
The interactive Atlas is an online platform where data on the movements in time and space of millions of birds are mapped and analyzed in the Eurasian-African flyway. Researchers from 10 different institutions and data gathered by over 50 different organizations contributed to the Atlas, which was developed by CMS partners, the European Union for Bird Ringing (EURING) and the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior.
A major accomplishment of the Eurasian-African Bird Migration Atlas is to have collated, analyzed, and synthesized bird ringing data collected over more than 100 years on 300 species. In addition, for over 100 of these species, the online mapping tool overlays movement patterns identified through bird ringing with tracks obtained through satellite transmitters, GPS-GSM tags or geo-locators. Together, they provide the most complete information available on the migration routes of these species.
An important visualization tool for more effective implementation of conservation measures For CMS, whose main goal is to conserve migratory species throughout their migratory range and migration itself as a biological phenomenon, a detailed understanding of the different migratory systems and patterns across the different groups of migratory species is important to design and implement conservation strategies and actions.
The new Atlas offers new insights into migration patterns at the species and population levels and into human-related issues affecting them across their migratory paths. CMS Executive Secretary Amy Fraenkel said: “Knowledge of how animals move and migrate over time and space is crucial for improving our understanding and conservation efforts for migratory species. The Atlas will help decision makers in planning networks of sites managed for conservation purposes.”
The information compiled in the Atlas is expected to offer an important contribution to CMS initiatives on the preservation of ecological connectivity – the unimpeded movement of species and the flow of natural processes that sustain life on Earth – and spatial planning in particular.
These relate for example to possible interactions between renewable energy infrastructure and animal migration, with a special emphasis on the risk of collision of migratory birds at wind farms. Maps of seasonal movements across geographical areas can help define strategies to minimize bird mortality risks caused by these infrastructures.
The other main feature of the Atlas: four research modules that provide analyses addressing different aspects of bird migration and relationships between man and birds.
Two modules, migratory connectivity, and long-term changes in migration patterns due for example to global climate change take a closer look at bird migration patterns, strategies, and adaptations.
Another research module provides estimates, at the scale of EU territory, of the onset of return migration for many huntable species covered by the Birds Directive. The onset of return migration is critically important information to determine the start of the protection period in the year. The module could help reconcile discrepancies among data at a national level.
The fourth module focuses on a large-scale and long-term analysis of patterns of intentional killing of birds. It describes the frequency and distribution of intentional killing across the whole Eurasian-African flyways and identifies areas of particularly intense legal or illegal harvesting, both in Europe and Africa.
These results are of direct interest for ongoing activities by CMS and the Bern Convention concerning the illegal killing of birds. Furthermore, this module offers insights about expanding the geographical scope of monitoring the illegal killing of birds, for example,along the East Asian-Australasian flyway.
Finally, the broadened historical and geographical perspective can support similar efforts to address the trapping and killing of animals from other taxonomic groups.
The project was made possible by the support of the Government of Italy, with a pledge to CMS granted in 2017 by the Ministry of the Ecological Transition (formerly Ministry of the Environment, Land and Sea) under the Migratory Species Champion Programme. Memorandum of Understanding between CMS and Italian Partners On the launch of the Atlas, the CMS Secretariat will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to raise awareness of migratory species conservation and the concept of “ecological connectivity”
in the context of the project regarding the restoration and re-qualification of the former Bourbon prison of Santo Stefano-Ventotene. The MOU is with various Italian partners, namely the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) which maintains an important ringing station on, the State Nature Reserve and Marine Protected Area of Ventotene, the Municipality of Ventotene and the Special Commissioner for the Project of the Islands of Santo Stefano – Ventotene.
These islands are at the crossroad of important animal migrations and represent a “safe port” and a key node of a large network of sites and habitats as part of species’ annual movements
Abidjan, 3–6 September 2024 : Leveraging financing and partnerships for combating drought, land degradation and desertification in Africa The note available to dowload explores the critical role of financing and partnerships in addressing the interrelated challenges of drought, land degradation, and desertification in Africa.
Bonn / Laramie, 4 September 2024 - Today, a groundbreaking online map was launched showing the migration paths of land animals around the world. An international team of over 80 scientists has collaborated to create the first-ever interactive migration map of hooved mammals such as antelopes, guanacos and zebras, that routinely travel large distances at different times in the year. Such animals are collectively called “ungulates".
The African Forest Forum (AFF) in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)’s Regional office for Africa, is organizing a three-week Community of Practice (CoP) on “Climate Change in African Forestry and Wildlife Sectors”. The CoP will be held from9 - 27 September 2024, from 12:00 noon - 3.00 pm Nairobi time/ 9:00 am -12.00 noon GMT., via Howspace – a virtual ‘African Forestry Community’ platform – for knowledge sharing and learning.
To prepare the next post-Malabo plan, the ECCAS Regional Economic Community (REC), in partnership with AU, and the Feed the Future Policy LINK Program organized regional stakeholder consultations for the Central Africa region. The participants at the consultation were: the CAADP focal points and government representatives of different countries, as well as private sector and non-state actor representatives from the seven ECCAS Member States. Please download the report...
The tenth special session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) regional consultations will be held in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, from 30 August to 6 September 2024, under the theme “Raising Africa’s Ambition to Reduce Land Degradation, Desertification, and Drought.” The theme underscores the critical need to address the current state of land degradation in the region and restore this vital resource.
Rome – A new roadmap guiding the work of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on forests was endorsed on Wednesday by members at the 27th Session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO 27) in Rome. The FAO Forestry Roadmap - From Vision to Action 2024-2031 sets out how FAO will work to enhance the role forests play in meeting forestry-related goals and targets and in addressing global challenges in coming years.
In recent years, the international community and countries in central Africa have developed various initiatives and programmes to halt biodiversity and natural resource degradation, and to address challenges to sustainable development in forest ecosystems.
At the 26th IUFRO World Congress in Stockholm from 23-29 June 2024, the booth hosted by the Scientific and Academic College of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) provided an opportunity for Crispin Ilunga-Mulala Mushagalusa, a PhD student at the University of Liège (Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech), to present his research as part of the UFA - Reforest project (Reforestation in the Forest Management Units of Cameroon).
This study addresses the need to explore the attitude and perception of local residents toward wildlife and conservation. Questionnaires, surveys and field observations were used in data collection. A total of 400 people was conveniently selected in 16 villages from October to December 2015. Data analysis relied mainly on factor analysis and structural equation modelling in SPSS 21 and Smart-PLS software.
The objective of this side event on 4 June 2024 was move away from rapid conflict mitigation and prevention towards to holistic and integrated coexistence programs between human and forest elephants in rainforest of the Congo Basin.
The theme for International Youth Day 2024 (12 August) is “From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development.” This theme highlights the key connection between digitalization and accelerating the progress of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), emphasizing the crucial contributions of young people in this transformative process.
On 23 December 1994, the United Nations General Assembly decided, in its resolution 49/214, that the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People shall be observed on 9 August every year. The date marks the first meeting, in 1982, of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations. The International Day observance will take place online on Friday, 9 August 2024. This year’s theme is: Protecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples in Voluntary Isolation and Initial Contact.
CBFP, which is one of the oldest Type 2 partnerships in the United Nations system, registered in the ECOSOC and UN DESA partnerships, and strengthened in SDG 17, is calling on its partners to make the conclusions of the High-Level Political Forum for Sustainable Development their own... the call is crystallised in advocacy for Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership with diverse stakeholders for sustainable developmen. In Fact, Partnerships are the glue for SDG implementation and is been essential to making the Agenda a reality.
This hybrid event aims to set the stage for the 2025 IYC, which will be officially launched during the ICA Global Cooperative Conference, scheduled for November 25-29, 2024, in New Delhi, India. The New York event will serve as a platform to deepen the theme of IYC2025, unveil the media package, discuss the UN resolutions outlining the modalities for the IYC launch.
Side event organized by the Sustainable Wildlife Management Programme on the 04/06 from 8h30 to 9h30 am. United Nations member states are committed to reducing hunger, improving health, and conserving natural resources through the Sustainable Development Goals. Additionally, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework aims to conserve 30% of terrestrial and marine areas by 2030, promoting sustainable wildlife management and equitable benefits. However, in Central Africa, the unsustainable wild meat trade threatens food security and biodiversity, making these goals challenging to achieve.
The Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) Programme presented its innovative Legal Hub at the recent 20th Meeting of Parties (MoP20) of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership. This event was held in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), from 3 to 5 June, 2024. A specific side-event titled "A Tool to Connect Different Sources of Law" showcased the Legal Hub’s critical role in enhancing the legal frameworks governing wildlife management across multiple countries, including the sub-region.
In this 20th meeting, the consortium comprising the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), RIKOLTO, and the Catholic University of Bukavu (UCB) actively participated in the sessions held from June 3 to 5, 2024, at the Pullman Hotel in Kinshasa. During a panel focused on agroforestry and agribusiness, the consortium presented solutions for sustainable and effective land management around the Itombwe Reserve and the Kahuzi-Biega National Park through two main themes...
A platform named “Congo Basin Monitoring and Evaluation Database” combining several key sources of information has been developed by WWF to support the management and development of conservation and research projects. This tool has the advantage of being transversal to several possible topics and themes in the field of natural resource management.
Approximately 5% for Central African countries and the bulk for other geographical zones... towards an "Accelerator for the preservation of the Congo Basin forests and peripheries" towards Belém COP 30 Climate post Glasgow?
... WRI’s Global Restoration Initiative and researchers from Land & Carbon Lab have partnered with Meta to develop a groundbreaking AI foundation model that we’ve used to produce the world’s first global map of tree canopy height at a 1-meter resolution, allowing the detection of single trees at a global scale...
The 20th CBFP Meeting of Parties (MoP20) held in Kinshasa, DRC from 3 to 5 June 2024 The Co-Facilitation of the Republic of France and Gabon for the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) organised five high-level round tables, on different topics during the MoP20.
The 20th Meeting of the Parties (MOP20) was a high point, marked by the participation of eight ministers from the Congo Basin and more than 600 participants, illustrating the importance and scope of our partnership. The CBFP proved once again that it is an essential forum for dialogue and cooperation. The diversity and commitment of the stakeholders present were a driving force for emulation and fruitful collaboration. Finally, the exemplary cooperation with the Congolese authorities greatly contributed to the success of this meeting.
Kinshasa, MOP 20 of the CBFP At the end of the proceedings, among other major resolutions, Ms Cécile Ndjebet, Champion of Forests and Champion of the Earth, Co-Leader of the CBFP civil society college, was elected by consensus to head the "Regional Civil Society Coalition for Forests and the Environment of the Congo Basin".
The Scientific and Academic College of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) is actively participating in the 26th IUFRO World Congress from 23 to 29 June 2024 in Stockholm, Sweden, with a booth located at A01:01 in Exhibition Hall A at Stockholmsmässan, Mässvägen 1, 125 80 Stockholm. Over the course of the week, a series of workshops will be held to present the platforms of forestry science in the Congo Basin and highlight the latest research, innovations and applied sciences.
10 June 2024: ITTO has urged more attention to the need for capacity building and training in the Congo Basin to ensure that the region’s vital forest sector and timber industry will be able to meet the requirements of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and other international trade measures.
It is with great respect and a deep sense of responsibility that we, the Africa Climate Action Initiative (ACAI), support the 20th Meeting of the Parties of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (RDP20) which will be held from 3 to June 5, 2024 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. This approach aims to strengthen our collective commitment to the sustainable management and conservation of the Congo Basin, a critical global resource, and to catalyze transformative actions that align with a shared vision for a sustainable and prosperous future.
The USAID FABS Project is organising 4 captivating webinars in French and English on the theme of nature-based tourism in the Congo Basin. These events will take place on Tuesday 11 and Thursday 13 June 2024. The aim of these webinars is to communicate the challenges and opportunities of sustainable tourism in Central Africa, while promoting mutual learning for the development of tourism in protected areas. The sessions will focus in particular on studies carried out in the DRC, Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic and Congo Brazzaville.
Libreville, Gabon 22 April 2024, Rainforest Trust has officially joined the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP). Rainforest Trust is now one of 129 member countries and organizations working together in the Congo Basin Forest Partnership to promote sustainable resource management, combat climate change and its impacts, improve living conditions and protect the unique biodiversity of Central Africa’s tropical forest.
The French-Gabonese Co-Facilitation of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) is pleased to inform you that the 20th Meeting of Parties (MoP20) of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership will be held in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, from 3-5 June 2024. If you wish to attend the 20th Meeting of Parties (MoP) of the CBFP and related events, please register before 05 May, 23:59, 2024 by completing the form below and clicking on the button “register”. It will not be possible to attend the meeting without a properly completed registration procedure.
The 20th Meeting of the Parties to the CBFP (MOP20) will be held in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, from 3 to 5 June 2024. The MOP20 is organised by the Co-Facilitation of the French and Gabonese Republics of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP). Please find the provisional programme of the 20th Meeting of the Parties of the CBFP (MOP20).
The French-Gabonese Co-Facilitation of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) is pleased to inform you that the 20th Meeting of Parties (MoP20) of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership will be held in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, from 3-5 June 2024. If you wish to cover the 20th Meeting of the Parties (MOP) of the CBFP and associated meetings, please register before 16 May 2024 by filling in the form below and clicking on the "register" button.
The "Youth Forum for the Forests of Central Africa 2024" is scheduled to take place over 2 days from 31 May to 1 June in Kinshasa. It will bring together 150 young people from Central Africa and Europe who are committed to protecting forests and preserving the environment. This forum is organised by the Franco-Gabonese facilitation of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP), a 128-member initiative that serves as a platform for multi-sectoral dialogue on forest conservation. The Youth Forum will be a preliminary event to the CBFP Meeting of the Parties, which will take place from 3 to 5 June in Kinshasa, and will serve as a general assembly for its members.
Abuja, 19 April 2024, His Excellency Alhaji Balarabe Lawal, Federal Minister of the Environment of Nigeria and His Excellency Jules Doret Ndongo, Minister of Forestry and Wildlife of Cameroon sign a Memorandum of Understanding on the conservation of transborder ecosystems and the sustainable management of forest and wildlife resources along their common border of more than 1,500 km.
The Facilitation of the French and Gabonese Republics is pleased to launch a call for proposals to host side events during the 20th Meeting of the Parties (MOP20) in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, from 3-5 June 2024. In line with the themes of MOP20 of the CBFP, side events provide opportunities for information exchange, dialogue, cooperation and the creation of synergies between CBFP partners. Deadline for submissions: 19 April 2024. Applicants for selected proposals will be contacted on 30 April 2024.
