About
Amid unprecedented biodiversity loss, climate change, and challenges to multilateralism, Parties demonstrated the benefits of international cooperation, which has improved the conservation status of migratory species, including the saiga antelope, scimitar-horned oryx, and Mediterranean monk seal.
Final report
Summary report 22–29 March 2026
All coverage
As political borders become more fenced and less porous around the world, the wildlife that lives across those lines on maps faces serious threats. Habitat loss, human persecution, illegal trade, and global climate change are among the major challenges facing migratory species. Only coordinated action on these issues can slow declines in migratory species populations.
The Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) was adopted in 1979 to foster cross-border cooperation to maintain and enhance the ecological connectivity of transboundary habitats and vulnerable ecosystems along the migratory ranges of specific species. The Convention brings together the Range States through which migratory animals pass and lays the legal foundation for internationally coordinated conservation measures throughout a migratory range.
The 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP14) brought together governments, scientists, conservationists, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, environmental leaders, and civil society to consider:
- the launch of the Global Initiative on Taking of Migratory Species (GTI) to address illegal and/or unsustainable taking of migratory species, with a particular focus on domestic motivations and drivers of exploitation;
- progress made on implementing the Samarkand Strategic Plan (2024–2032);
- recommendations on deep-sea mining, sustainable infrastructure to minimize negative impacts on migratory species, insect decline, and the conservation implications of animal culture and social complexity;
- the development of the next CMS flagship report on the “State of the World’s Migratory Species,” reviewing the conservation status of migratory species and the relative impacts of various threats;
- progress on developing of an Atlas on Animal Migration;
- the implementation and possible extensions of eleven Concerted Actions, as well as proposals for sixteen new Concerted Actions; and
- seventeen proposals to amend the CMS Appendices that collectively implicate 42 species, from the striped hyena to the snowy owl to the Bukhara deer, with the latter being the only species at COP15 proposed for downlisting.
COP15 took place from 23 to 29 March 2026 in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil—host to the world’s largest and most biodiverse transboundary floodplain—under the theme “Connecting Nature to Sustain Life.” Dig deeper into the history of the CMS and what to expect at the meeting with our short pre-meeting brief.
The Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) writers for this meeting were Kate Harris; Kate Helfenstein-Louw; Timothy Neff, Ph.D.; and Emma Vovk. The Digital Editor was Ángeles Estrada. The Editor was Pamela Chasek, Ph.D.
View past and future events
Past event
6th Meeting of the CMS Conference of the Parties (COP-6) and 1st Meeting of the Parties to the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA MOP-1)
Past event
7th Meeting of the CMS Conference of the Parties (COP-7) and 2nd Session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA MOP-2)
Past event
8th Meeting of the CMS Conference of the Parties (COP-8)
Past event
Scientific Seminar on Avian Influenza, the Environment and Migratory Birds
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Meeting to Identify and Elaborate an Option for International Cooperation on Migratory Sharks under the CMS
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4th Session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA MOP-4)
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9th Meeting of the CMS Conference of the Parties (COP 9)
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2nd Meeting on International Cooperation on Migratory Sharks (SHARKS II) under the CMS
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3rd Meeting on International Cooperation on Migratory Sharks (SHARKS III) under the CMS
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10th Meeting of the CMS Conference of the Parties (COP10)
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2nd Meeting of the Parties (MOP2) of the Agreement on the Conservation of Gorillas and their Habitats (the Gorilla Agreement) under the auspices of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS)
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5th Session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA MOP5)
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1st Meeting of Signatories to the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Sharks (MOS1)
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1st Meeting of the Signatories (MoS1) to the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia
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11th Meeting of the CMS Conference of the Parties (COP11)
Past event
2nd Meeting of the Signatories (MoS2) to the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia
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6th Session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA MOP6)
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2nd Meeting of Signatories to the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Sharks (MOS2)
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12th Meeting of the CMS Conference of the Parties (COP12)
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13th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP13)
Past event
14th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP 14)
Past event
15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP 15)
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