Convention on Migratory Species (CMS)

WHY IN NEWS?

India to host COP13 UN Summit on conservation of migratory birds from Feb 17.

ABOUT CMS

• The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, also known as the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) or the Bonn Convention, aims to conserve terrestrial, aquatic and avian migratory species throughout their range.
• As an environmental treaty of the United Nations, CMS provides a global platform for the conservation and sustainable use of migratory animals and their habitats.
• CMS brings together the States through which migratory animals pass, the Range States, and lays the legal foundation for internationally coordinated conservation measures throughout a migratory range.
• As the only global convention specializing in the conservation of migratory species, their habitats and migration routes, CMS complements and co-operates with a number of other international organizations, NGOs and partners in the media as well as in the corporate sector.
• Migratory species threatened with extinction are listed on Appendix I of the Convention.
• CMS Parties strive towards strictly protecting these animals, conserving or restoring the places where they live, mitigating obstacles to migration and controlling other factors that might endanger them.
• Besides establishing obligations for each State joining the Convention, CMS promotes concerted action among the Range States of many of these species.
• Migratory species that need or would significantly benefit from international co-operation are listed in Appendix II of the Convention.
• For this reason, the Convention encourages the Range States to conclude global or regional agreements.
• In this respect, CMS acts as a framework Convention.
• The agreements may range from legally binding treaties (called Agreements) to less formal instruments, such as Memoranda of Understanding, and can be adapted to the requirements of particular regions.
• The development of models tailored according to the conservation needs throughout the migratory range is a unique capacity to CMS.

Prelims Question

Q. The 13th Conference of Parties (CoP) of the Bonn Convention is to be held in
a. India
b. USA
c. Germany
d. Rwanda

Answer to the Prelims Question