On Sunday, 20 November, 2011, COP10 opened with a musical performance, which included audience participation in one of the songs.

In the opening, His Highness Prince Bandar Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia, CMS Standing Committee Chair, on the future of the CMS, urged parties to agree on options to provide CMS with institutional support and adequate resources to fulfill its objectives.

Welcoming participants to Bergen, Lisbeth Iversen, Commissioner, Bergen Municipality, noted that migratory species “know no borders,” and, recalling the responsibility to protect these species, said “they belong to all of us and we belong to them.”

Amina Mohammed, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Deputy Executive Director, pointing to the need to address poverty and inequity when considering biodiversity conservation, highlighted UNEP’s work on a green economy and the economic valuation of biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Elizabeth Mrema, CMS Executive Secretary, citing the recovery of the populations of the Saiga antelope, emphasized the utility of MoUs among other CMS mechanisms for the conservation of migratory species adding that success depends on cooperation of range states, political will and provision of adequate financing and synergies among MEAs.

Mohammed then invited representatives from five of the biodiversity-related conventions to discuss: synergies; how their respective Secretariats contribute to the conservation of migratory species and habitats; the benefits of collaboration with the CMS and each other; and what collaborative efforts could be enhanced.

Highlighting collaborative efforts among CMS, CITES, Ramsar, FAO, CBD and others, John Scanlon, CITES Secretary-General, stressed the need to work collaboratively to keep species, not only ecosystems, on the conservation agenda. Nick Davidson, Ramsar Deputy Secretary General, added that collaboration is needed not only between Secretariats and Convention mechanisms, but also at the national level, including between Convention focal points and across government ministries.

Shakheel Bhatti, Secretary of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA), noted the agreement’s participation in the Liaison Group of Biodiversity-related Conventions, and emphasized the need to “speak as one voice” across sectors to raise concerns about biodiversity loss. He also highlighted synergies, such as the similarity between the concepts of “wise use” under CMS and “sustainable use” under ITPGRFA.
Looking towards the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD or Rio+ 20) in 2012, Peter Shei, Representative of Norway and CMS Ambassador, urged dialogue with and involvement of business and other sectors, such as climate change and trade, to encourage cross-sectorial cooperation and understanding.

Elizabeth Mrema highlighted the need to avoid duplication, advising in particular the development of synergies at the national level, such as communication between focal points, and the participation of all biodiversity-related agreements in the development of NBSAPs.
Fernando Spina, CMS Scientific Councillor, Italy, said that the variety of approaches in regards to migratory species protection among range states is a challenge to their conservation and called for cooperation and development of common goals.

H.E. Erik Solheim, Norwegian Minister of the Environment, said that Norway was built on migratory species including salmon, which are an important export product, and various birds which return in May and April.

In conclusion, Prince Bandar Al-Saud said that most countries have migratory species and that their conservation depends on trust and partnership among range states.