March 2013: The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) February-March newsletter features an editorial by Bradnee Chambers, the new CMS Executive Secretary, on the implementation of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs).

Chambers highlights that with so much effort gone into negotiating MEAs, it is important to reflect on their implementation. Noting that MEAs are not implementing bodies, but elements that only promote implementation, they rely on parties to take measures directly at the national level. However, often countries lack the capacity to take action, which is especially true for small conventions like CMS. Chambers concludes that there is an opportunity for CMS to become a much more effective tool for protecting and sustainably using migratory species, and that this will require increasing funding, improving coordination with other MEAs and drawing on the recommendations from the CMS Future Shape process.

The newsletter also highlights the CMS ‘Project of the Month,’ a Small Grants Programme supported effort to conserve the blue swallow in Zimbabwe. The project is implemented by BirdLife Zimbabwe in collaboration with the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority in an area that supports 20 to 25 per cent of the global population of blue swallows.

Finally, the newsletter takes note of activities put in place to mark World Migratory Bird day, which will be celebrated under the theme “Networking for migratory birds,” on 11-12 May. [Publication: CMS Bulletin 2-3 2013]