17 November 2015
AEWA MOP6 Adopts 22 Resolutions and 6 Action Plans
UN Photo/Mark Garten
story highlights

The Sixth session of the Meeting of the Parties (MOP6) to the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA), administered by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), ended with the adoption of 22 resolutions, including action plans for seabirds and guidelines for the sustainable use of waterbirds across the African-Eurasian Flyway.

Participants also discussed the impact of renewable energy on migratory species, including waterbirds and adopted conservation guidelines recommending environmental impact assessments when planning the construction of wind turbines and implementing shut-down periods during bird migration.

aewa_mop614 November 2015: The Sixth session of the Meeting of the Parties (MOP6) to the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA), administered by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), ended with the adoption of 22 resolutions, including action plans for seabirds and guidelines for the sustainable use of waterbirds across the African-Eurasian Flyway.

Participants addressed the implementation of the AEWA Strategic Plan 2009-2017 and the Plan of Action for Africa 2012-2017, implementation and revision of the AEWA International Implementation Tasks 2012-2015, and financial and administrative matters, including a budget for 2016-2018. They also considered: synergies within the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) family; action plans for six priority species, three of which occur only in Africa, including Uganda’s Grey Crowned Crane, which has suffered a decline of 80% over the past 45 years; and amendments to the Agreement’s annexes.

Participants also discussed the impact of renewable energy on migratory species, including waterbirds and adopted conservation guidelines recommending environmental impact assessments when planning the construction of wind turbines and implementing shut-down periods during bird migration.

Jacques Trouvilliez, Executive Secretary of AEWA, highlighted the importance of reconciling human well-being with biodiversity conservation, in addition to scientific research.

AEWA MOP6 met in Bonn, Germany, from 9-14 November, 2015. More than 200 representatives and key experts from party states, observer states, intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations attended.

On the sidelines, Croatia and Israel signed the CMS Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia (Raptors MoU), which now has 55 Signatories. [CMS Press Release, 16 November] [CMS Press Release, 11 November] [CMS Press Release, 10 November] [CMS Press Release, 8 November] [IISD RS Coverage of AEWA MOP6] [UN Press Release]


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