World governments and experts have begun a week-long UN wildlife summit in Brazil focused on halting declines in migratory animals, after new figures showed nearly half of monitored populations are falling.
The 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS CoP15) opened on 23 March in Campo Grande and runs until 29 March, the European Commission announced on Monday.
Delegations including governments, scientists, conservation groups, indigenous peoples and local communities are attending talks on species that cross international borders under the CMS treat.
A new interim report released ahead of the meeting found 49% of populations of migratory species covered by the treaty are declining, up from 44% two years ago, and that 24% of assessed species face extinction, the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) said.
Overexploitation — including unsustainable use and accidental capture in fishing gear (bycatch) — and habitat loss and fragmentation were identified as the two biggest threats.
EU stance and species proposals
The European Union said it would back proposals to give the highest level of CMS protection to species including the giant otter, several seabirds and some shark species.
The EU also said it would support measures covering the European eel, the tope shark and the Eurasian lynx, alongside proposals on bycatch and marine pollution.
CMS is a legally binding UN treaty designed to co-ordinate international action to protect migratory species, with 132 countries plus the EU as parties.
