Participants have started packing their bagswith enthusiastic and optimistic smiles for a job well doneending an international wildlife conference with a high note for greater protection for more endangered migratory species and their habitats.
It was a grueling weeklong event which saw the momentum to save the world’s migratory wildlife growing stronger, setting the pace for integration of wildlife and sustainable development with a historic number of amendments to species appendices having been approved on October 28 by environmental ministers and their representatives from 124 countries.
Hailed as a big success and victory for endangered migratory species, the 12th Conference of Parties Session on the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (COP 12 CMS) saw a record number of commitments for stronger protection for migratory species and their habitats.
The meeting saw 34 species proposals from 24 parties from Asia, Africa and Americas, Europe and Oceania added to the list of the CMS Appendices. These include the more well-known species like the lion, leopard, giraffe and chimpanzees, which global population are on the rapid decline.
The event saw more than 1,000 participants, including official delegates and observers from the Range States, and representatives from 24 nonmembers, actively taking part in the weeklong discussions.
The Philippines, hosting the historic eventwith the CMS meeting having been held for the first time in Asiait was touted as the biggest gathering for the strengthening of protection measures for endangered migratory species and their habitats by the Range States.
It saw the approval of all-important resolutions the Philippines has put forward before the body, including the up-listing of the butanding (whale shark) under Appendix I, while maintaining its status under Appendix II.
Also approved were proposals for the listing of four other migratory species under Appendix II. These are the white-spotted wedgefish, a shark species; and yellow bunting, black noddy and Christmas fragatebird, which are all bird species.
A total of 11 Philippine-drafted resolutions were approved. This includes the Manila Declaration on migratory species conservation vis-à-vis the sustainable development, the establishment of marine-protected networks in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations region, establishment of a COP presidency, promoting intertidal and other coastal habitats for migratory species.
The Philippines, as an added bonus, was declared as a migratory-species champion for its effort to protect and conserve the whale shark, with scientific name Rhincodon typus.
In its official statement, the CMS Secretariat noted some of the notable outcomes.
CMS Executive Secretary Bradnee Chambers described the international wildlife conference as a game changer for the convention, citing the intensive week of negotiations that have resulted in a stronger commitment by countries to step up their efforts to conserve migratory wildlife.
He noted that the governments had agreed to cooperate on reducing the negative impacts of marine debris, noise pollution, renewable energy and climate change on migratory species.
All fish proposals have been endorsed. This includes three species of shark and three species of ray, which will now receive greater protection with the whale shark on Appendix I and the angel shark being listed on both Appendix I and Appendix II. The dusky shark, the blue shark and the common guitarfish and the white-spotted wedgefish were listed on Appendix II.
2017 BusinessMirror