 |
Eighth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties
to the Convention on Migratory Species
of Wild Animals
UNEP Headquarters Gigiri, Nairobi, Kenya | 20-25 November 2005
| 
|
| |
|
|
|
CMS Holds Roundtables Prior to COP-8
On Saturday 19 November 2005, the Secretariat of the Convention on
Migratory Species (CMS) held two roundtables, on migratory species and
climate change and on avian influenza respectively, prior to the CMS
Eighth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP-8), which is
scheduled to open on Sunday afternoon 20 November.
|
|
|
Saturday, 19 November
|
|
Roundtable on migratory species and climate change
|
The roundtable on migratory species and climate change took place on
Saturday morning, moderated by Alexander Alusa, Deputy Director of UNEP's
Division of Environmental Conventions, and based on the findings of the
recently-released report "Climate Change and Migratory Species"
commissioned by the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs.
|
|
Jim Knight, UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Rural Affairs,
Landscape and Biodiversity, made some opening remarks on the rising
importance of climate change on the political agenda and the need to
integrate consideration of climate change effects on biodiversity, and
migratory species in particular. He highlighted the need for climate
change debates to offer hope to people and motivate them to act, and
noted that migratory species can offer an important indicator of the
effects of climate change.
|
|
Manuel Guariguata, Convention on
Biological Diversity (CBD), made a presentation on the interlinkages
between biodiversity and climate change and their implications for
achieving the 2010 target to reduce biodiversity loss. He illustrated
observed and projected impacts on migratory species, such as timing of
reproduction and migration, species distribution shifts, increased
frequency of pests and disease outbreaks, and possible extinction of
species with restricted habitat requirements, limited climatic ranges,
or low population numbers. He made suggestions on how to incorporate
biodiversity considerations into climate change mitigation and
adaptation activities, in particular through restoring biologically
diverse ecosystems and switching varieties in intensively managed
ecosystems.
|
|
Humphrey Crick, British Trust for Ornithology,
discussed the general patterns of climate change effects and reviewed
impacts on different taxonomic groups, highlighting the special problems
of migratory species linked to their migration routes, stopover sites,
and breeding and non-breeding areas. He made suggestions for future
action, including maintaining wetland quality, protecting vulnerable
habitats and ensuring coherent networks of stopover sites. He also
called for reduction of other pressures on migratory species, and
highlighted the importance of climate change mitigation measures for
marine species and adaptation responses for terrestrial species.
|
|
Peter Boye, German Federal Agency for
Nature Conservation, provided a German perspective on biodiversity and
climate change, highlighting the immigration of Mediterranean species,
increased problems with alien species and limited adaptive capacity of
long-distance migrants. He said that challenges in Germany concern
research on climate change impacts on migratory species, development of
regional scenarios, and conservation of large vital populations, of
habitat connectivity in highly developed areas and of carbon sinks.
Noting the different challenges in global regions, he concluded that CMS
is the best international instrument to cope with climate change impacts
on migratory species.
|
|
Max Finlayson, Chair of the Ramsar Convention Scientific and Technical
Review Panel, presented methods and data for vulnerability assessment of
climate change impacts on important habitats for migratory species,
based on examples from Eastern Asia and Northern Australia. He explained
that the method was based on: risk assessments, reflecting current
status and trends; risk perception, reflecting sensitivity and adaptive
capacity; and risk management and minimization, to develop responses. He
noted the importance of training local personnel and conducing
assessments in collaboration with local authorities.
|
|
Mark Simmonds, Whale and
Dolphin Conservation Society, presented on climate change and marine
apex predators, stressing that case studies are not yet available. He
illustrated projected effects of climate change on marine mammal
populations with limited habitats, living next to the ice edge, or
affected by disease events and toxic algal blooms. He reported that
evidence is being gathered on climate change impacts on predator-prey
relationships, distribution shifts, sea-ice changes, and breeding
success. Concluding that predictions of likely consequences on marine
mammals are increasingly underpinned by science, he emphasized that the
available information is inadequate to identify species that are
particularly at risk.
|
|
Colin Limpus, CMS Scientific Councilor, introduced a case study on
climate change impacts on turtles, describing them as "great
survivors of climate change." He illustrated how turtles adapt to
the effects of climate change by changing breeding sites, nesting
behavior, and migratory routes. Given the slow pace of turtles'
adaptation, he highlighted, among other things, the need for protection
of cooler, low-density nesting beach habitats, coral reefs and
seagrass pastures, while the international community works to mitigate
climate change.
|
|
Robert Hepworth, CMS Executive Secretary, concluded the roundtable,
describing it as a bridge between scientists and COP-8 policymakers. He
expressed the hope that COP-8 will indicate how CMS can engage in
addressing the impacts of, and adaptation to, climate change, in
particular through its concerted and cooperative action, outreach and
communication plan, Global Register on Migratory Species, and synergies
with other conventions.
|
|
Roundtable on migratory species as vectors of diseases: Myth or reality?
|
The roundtable on migratory birds as vectors and victims of avian
influenza commenced on Saturday afternoon and will continue on Sunday
morning. The roundtable is moderated by Sekou Toure, Director of UNEP's
Regional Office for Africa. Jim Knight opened the roundtable, stressing
the need to update risk assessment, based on the recent evidence that
wild birds can carry highly pathogenic avian influenza, and to inform the
debate without alarming people unnecessarily. He called for a common
approach to such a global issue, and endorsed UNEP-CMS funding for an
early warning system to be discussed during the COP.
Colin Galbraith, CMS Scientific Council Chair, suggested a research
agenda for migratory species as vectors of the disease, highlighting the
need to quantify risks and develop appropriate measures to limit
contacts with humans. He praised the coordinating role of the Scientific
Task Force on Avian Influenza, and suggested that a CMS resolution on
avian influenza, to be discussed by COP-8, focus on research and
funding. He also proposed that the CMS Scientific Council intersessional
work help in keeping the focus on avian influenza.
|
|
Ward Hagemeijer, Wetlands International, reported on the relationship
between avian influenza and wild birds, confirming that wild birds can
carry the high-pathogenic form of the virus. He noted the low risk of
infection for the general public, the lack of risk for consumption of
well-processed food, the absence of cases of human infection via wild
birds, and the impacts of the virus in terms of direct mortality of wild
bird populations. He emphasized the lack of information on the behavior
of the virus, likelihood of transmission and exact nature of migratory
routes. He reported on the work undertaken by the Scientific Task Force
on Avian Influenza under the leadership of CMS, and recommended further
integration of approaches with the Food and Agriculture Organization and
the World Health Organization.
|
|
Taej Mundkur, Wetlands International South Asia, gave on overview of
the 2005 outbreak of bird flu in wild
bird populations in Asia. Noting the limited capacity to study and
monitor birds in the region, he reported that information on the sources
of outbreaks were, in some cases, unknown or inconclusive. He
highlighted that since the outbreak, reporting of wild bird deaths has
enhanced, and called attention to other causes of the outbreak, such as
shipping of poultry, trade of birds and bird products, merit release and
cockfighting.
|
|
Max Finlayson presented on multi-disciplinary modeling and risk analysis
for waterbird populations and disease vectors, highlighting the need
for: developing alternate scenarios, integrating data and expert
knowledge, being creative in the use of science and telling "clear
stories" to policymakers.
|
|
Anja Globig, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Germany,
reported on investigations on avian influenza epidemiology in wild birds
in Germany, highlighting that several data remain unknown, such as the
virus incubation period, period of virus shedding, and the distribution
of virus infection among geographical areas and species.
|
|
Kai Wollscheid, International Council for Game and Wildlife
Conservation, discussed the role of hunters and hunting in the
management of diseases spread by migratory wildlife, and underscored the
need to ensure that regulations are based on knowledge, if data are not
available, and to avoid hasty decisions driven by media.
|
|
Bert Lenten, Executive Secretary of the African-Eurasian Waterbird
Agreement (AEWA), emphasized the lack of information on the real threats
of avian influenza, particularly in Africa. He underscored the role of
AEWA and CMS in: disseminating balanced information on avian influenza;
raising awareness that migratory birds are not only vectors, but also
victims of the disease; and voicing the needs of Africa, particularly
within the European Union. He pointed to relevant AEWA future
activities, including developing surveillance plans, improving risk
assessment, and urging hunting communities to contribute to monitoring
wild birds.
|
|
Dieudonné Ankara, CMS Scientific Counselor, reported on the epidemic of
ebola in Africa, recalling that animal-man transmissions occurred among
hunters, protected areas personnel and health officers. He shared his
experience in response measures, highlighting the continued need for
resources in relation to other animal diseases transmittable to man.
|
|
