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CMS COP11: A Substantive Summary of Critical Outcomes
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Regional Workshops Address Key CMS COP 11 Agenda Items
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Regional preparatory and negotiation workshops recently convened in Chile and Fiji, as part of a series of four regional capacity building workshops in the run-up to the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP 11).
The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environmental Programme (SPREP), which co-sponsored the Fiji meeting, unveiled the development of a Pacific Islands Protected Area Portal.
21 August 2014: Regional preparatory and negotiation workshops recently convened in Chile and Fiji, as part of a series of four regional capacity building workshops in the run-up to the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP 11).
The first preparatory workshop took place in Santiago, Chile, from 11-13 August 2014. More than 20 participants from CMS countries throughout Latin America discussed the: proposed addition of species to Appendices I and II of CMS, including a proposal on sharks and rays; Strategic Plan for Migratory Species; proposed restructuring of the Scientific Council; roadmap for flyways; and budget plan for the next three years. CMS introduced participants to a training tool, titled ‘The Manual for the National Focal Points of CMS and their instruments.’
The second workshop aimed to help Pacific regional participants develop common positions on priority issues. The meeting, which took place in Nadi, Fiji, from 18-20 August, sought to prepare and inform Pacific representatives, especially National Focal Points (NFPs), about how they can facilitate regional cooperation at COP 11. The workshop familiarized National Focal Points with key COP documents and issues and facilitated discussion on priority issues.
At the meeting, CMS announced the participation of Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands in a five-year project to conserve dugongs and seagrass across the Indian and Pacific Ocean basins. The US$6 million project is led by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), CMS Dugong MOU Secretariat, with support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF). It is expected to support 40 projects.
The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environmental Programme (SPREP), which co-sponsored the meeting, unveiled the development of a Pacific Islands Protected Area Portal to provide a doorway for Pacific islands protected area practitioners to share expertise and benefit from opportunities. The portal is open for feedback. [CMS Press Release on Chile Workshop] [CMS Press Release on Pacific Workshop] [SPREP Press Release on Dugong Project] [SPREP Press Release on Portal] [CMS Press Release on Fiji Workshop]