Governments convened in Campo Grande, Brazil, for the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) from March 23 to 29, 2026, marking a pivotal moment for global conservation efforts. Amidst a deepening global biodiversity crisis and a narrowing window to achieve critical international targets, delegates undertook bold steps, agreeing on a groundbreaking new marine flyway framework and implementing stronger protections for a diverse array of migratory birds, including seabirds, raptors, and shorebirds. The conference underscored the intrinsic value of migratory species as vital ecological connectors and crucial indicators of planetary health, with the outcomes setting a new precedent for coordinated international action.
Background and Context: The Imperative of Migratory Species Conservation
Migratory species, traversing vast distances across continents and oceans, serve as living threads connecting ecosystems, cultures, and communities worldwide. Their epic journeys, however, also expose them to a multitude of threats, revealing the immense pressures confronting global biodiversity and highlighting areas demanding urgent intervention. The Convention on Migratory Species, often referred to as the Bonn Convention, is the only global treaty exclusively dedicated to the conservation of migratory species and their habitats. Established in 1979, CMS provides a crucial legal framework for international cooperation, enabling signatory nations to coordinate efforts in protecting species that cross national borders.
The timing of CMS COP15 was particularly critical. The planet is in the midst of a biodiversity crisis, with scientists warning of the sixth mass extinction event. According to the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), approximately one million animal and plant species are now threatened with extinction. Migratory bird populations have been particularly hard hit; reports indicate significant declines in many species, with some groups experiencing drops of over 70% in recent decades. These declines are driven by habitat loss and degradation, climate change, pollution, unsustainable hunting, invasive species, and poorly planned infrastructure development.
Against this backdrop, CMS COP15 aimed to translate broader international commitments, such as those enshrined in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) adopted in December 2022, into tangible actions. The KMGBF sets ambitious targets for 2030 and goals for 2050, seeking to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. CMS plays a vital role in achieving several of these targets, particularly those related to species conservation (Target 4), ecological connectivity (Target 2), and the integration of biodiversity concerns into various sectors (Target 14). The Campo Grande meeting was therefore seen as a crucial forum for governments to solidify their commitment to migratory species and chart a course for accelerated progress.
The BirdLife Partnership, a global network of conservation organizations, was a significant presence at COP15, with 38 delegates representing 19 national Partners. Their collective expertise and advocacy played a critical role in supporting governments to achieve meaningful conservation outcomes, providing scientific data, policy recommendations, and practical implementation strategies throughout the week-long discussions.
Chronology of Key Decisions and Engagements
The 15th Conference of the Parties commenced on March 23, 2026, in Campo Grande, Brazil, bringing together representatives from CMS Parties, intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, and scientific experts. The initial days were marked by opening statements, setting the agenda, and establishing working groups to tackle the numerous proposals and resolutions.
A crucial precursor to COP15 was the Third Meeting of the CMS Americas Flyways Task Force, held just prior to the main conference. This meeting laid essential groundwork for the subsequent agreement on the CMS Initiative for the Americas Flyways, demonstrating a concerted regional effort to build consensus and prepare for formal adoption at the COP.
Throughout the week, delegates engaged in intensive negotiations, side events, and expert discussions. Key decisions unfolded progressively, culminating in the adoption of several landmark resolutions on the final day, March 29. These included the formal recognition of marine flyways, the listing of several species on the CMS Appendices for enhanced protection, and the establishment of new action plans and initiatives. The collaborative spirit, particularly between governments and the scientific community, as exemplified by the active participation of the BirdLife Partnership, was instrumental in forging consensus on complex issues.
Landmark Decisions for Global Conservation
The resolutions adopted at CMS COP15 represent significant advancements across several critical areas of migratory species conservation.
Marine Flyways: A New Frontier in Ocean Conservation
One of the most profound achievements of COP15 was the formal recognition of marine flyways for the first time. For decades, the concept of flyways primarily focused on terrestrial and coastal routes for avian migration. However, vast expanses of the ocean, used by millions of seabirds and other marine migratory megafauna, had largely remained an unaddressed gap in this framework. Scientists and conservationists hailed this decision as one of the most significant advances in ocean conservation in a generation.
The establishment of marine flyways provides an essential structural framework for countries and stakeholders to coordinate conservation priorities, mobilize necessary finance, and deliver targeted action across shared marine ecosystems. This framework is not only beneficial for seabirds, which are among the most threatened bird groups globally, but also extends protection to other migratory marine species such as whales, sharks, and sea turtles that utilize these oceanic corridors.
Seabirds, often referred to as "sentinels of the sea," are powerful indicators of marine ecosystem health. Their declining populations — by an estimated 70% since the 1950s due to threats like bycatch in fisheries, plastic pollution, climate change, and habitat degradation at breeding colonies — signal widespread oceanic distress. This new resolution is therefore expected to play a critical role in supporting governments to achieve global ocean targets, including those articulated under the recently adopted High Seas Treaty (formally the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction), which aims to protect biodiversity in international waters.
Nina Mikander, Global Director of Policy and Business at BirdLife International, underscored the collaborative spirit behind this achievement: “Protecting migratory species takes more than a village. It was great to see the global conservation community come together at COP15 and take historic decisions for migratory birds across flyways. This is the kind of leadership we need now more than ever.”
Further reinforcing marine flyway conservation efforts, COP15 saw the listing of gadfly petrels and the Flesh-footed Shearwater on the CMS Appendices. These species face severe threats, including bycatch and plastic ingestion. Alongside these listings, concerted actions were adopted for the Flesh-footed Shearwater and the critically endangered Antipodean Albatross, with significant support and expertise provided by the BirdLife Partnership. The Antipodean Albatross, for example, has seen its population plummet by 60% in just two decades, primarily due to incidental capture in longline fisheries, making targeted international action imperative.
A Breakthrough for the Americas: The Americas Flyways Initiative
CMS COP15 marked a crucial turning point for migratory species conservation across the Americas. Governments formally agreed to establish the CMS Initiative for the Americas Flyways, creating a dedicated mechanism to implement the comprehensive Americas Flyways Framework and its associated Action Plan. This represents a significant governance milestone, as for the first time, the Americas Flyways will possess a formal instrument to drive coordinated, cross-border conservation action.
The Americas are home to some of the world’s most spectacular migratory phenomena, with billions of birds traversing vast distances from the Arctic breeding grounds to the Patagonian wintering sites. These flyways are increasingly threatened by rapid habitat conversion, agricultural expansion, and climate change. The new initiative aims to foster stronger collaboration among nations, sharing data, resources, and best practices to protect critical habitats along these routes.
The groundwork for this initiative was meticulously laid at the Third Meeting of the CMS Americas Flyways Task Force, where the BirdLife Partnership, alongside the National Audubon Society, played an active role. Both organizations have committed to supporting governments over the next three years to operationalize this initiative, translating political will into on-the-ground conservation success.
Ana Agreda, Conservation Project Coordinator at Aves y Conservación, BirdLife Partner in Ecuador, emphasized the necessity of such collaboration: “We must unite efforts with governments to ensure the effective conservation of migratory birds. By joining forces between governments and NGOs, we secure the habitats that migratory birds depend on.” This sentiment highlights the understanding that effective conservation requires a multi-stakeholder approach, leveraging the strengths of both governmental mandates and civil society expertise.
Strengthening Conservation for Raptors
COP15 delivered substantial progress for raptor conservation, a group of birds facing significant global threats. Parties agreed to establish Internationally Important Raptor Areas worldwide, a move expected to identify and protect critical breeding, roosting, and migratory bottleneck sites. These areas will serve as focal points for targeted conservation interventions, mirroring the success of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) for other avian groups.
The iconic Snowy Owl, a species highly vulnerable to climate change impacting its Arctic habitat and prey availability, was listed on Appendix II of CMS. This listing encourages international cooperation for its conservation, particularly regarding research and habitat protection across its extensive range. Furthermore, a new Action Plan for the Steppe Eagle, a globally endangered species whose populations have plummeted by over 80% in parts of its range, was adopted. This plan, meticulously prepared by the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds), a BirdLife Partner, outlines crucial steps for its recovery, addressing threats like electrocution, poisoning, and habitat loss.
In a forward-looking decision, governments also agreed to develop a multi-species Action Plan for Vultures in the Americas by COP16 in 2029. This initiative will be modeled on the highly successful African-Eurasian plan, which has provided a crucial framework for addressing the catastrophic decline of Old World vultures. Vultures in the Americas, including species like the King Vulture and various New World vultures, face threats such as lead poisoning from ammunition, habitat loss, and accidental poisoning.
Crucially, COP15 strengthened the CMS mandate on restricting the veterinary use of Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) harmful to vultures and other raptors. The devastating impact of diclofenac, an NSAID, on vulture populations in South Asia, leading to a 99% collapse of some species, served as a stark warning. The conference agreed to organize workshops to support governments in implementing measures to ban or restrict harmful NSAIDs, thereby preventing a similar crisis from unfolding in other parts of the world. This proactive step demonstrates a commitment to learning from past conservation failures and implementing preventative measures globally.
A Step Forward for Shorebirds
Shorebirds, another group of highly migratory birds, received enhanced protection at COP15. Three species of the Americas flyways – the Hudsonian Whimbrel, Hudsonian Godwit, and Lesser Yellowlegs – were added to CMS Appendix I. This listing provides them with the highest level of protection under the Convention, obliging Parties to strictly protect them, conserve and restore their habitats, and mitigate threats. These species undertake immense migrations, often from Arctic breeding grounds to South American wintering sites, and face significant threats from habitat loss in coastal wetlands, climate change impacting stopover sites, and human disturbance.
The COP also noted the adoption by the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership of the Spoon-billed Sandpiper Action Plan. This critically endangered shorebird, with a tiny global population, faces imminent extinction primarily due to habitat loss in its crucial migratory stopover sites along the Yellow Sea. The Action Plan, developed with significant input from the BirdLife team, outlines targeted interventions to save this iconic species, including habitat restoration, anti-poaching measures, and community engagement.
Aligning Renewable Energy Development with Migratory Species Conservation
The global push for renewable energy is vital for mitigating climate change, but poorly planned infrastructure can pose significant risks to migratory species. Wind turbines, solar farms, and associated transmission lines can lead to bird collisions, habitat fragmentation, and disruption of migratory routes. Recognizing this critical challenge, aligning renewable energy development with migratory species conservation was a key cross-cutting theme at COP15.
The BirdLife Partnership played a central role in these discussions through its coordination of the CMS Energy Task Force (ETF). The ETF serves as a platform for governments, industry, and conservation organizations to share best practices, develop guidelines, and promote environmentally responsible energy development. With BirdLife’s support, the Government of Brazil demonstrated leadership by inviting countries from the Group of Latin America and the Caribbean to engage with the Task Force throughout the COP. This initiative successfully generated increased interest from multiple Parties and stakeholders in joining and contributing to the ETF, reinforcing its growing role as a crucial platform for ensuring that the transition to green energy does not come at the expense of biodiversity. The task force helps to identify high-risk areas, advocate for appropriate siting, and promote mitigation measures such as bird-friendly turbine designs and transmission line markers.
The Road Ahead: Implementation and Urgency
The outcomes of CMS COP15 provide a comprehensive set of concrete, practical tools that governments can use to accelerate progress towards their commitments under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Migratory species are more than just a conservation concern; their health serves as a powerful measure of how effectively the world is delivering for biodiversity as a whole. As the primary treaty supporting governments in meeting commitments on species conservation, ecological connectivity, and sustainable use, CMS is uniquely positioned to drive this agenda forward.
However, the reality remains stark. With the 2030 targets of the KMGBF fast approaching, most governments are not yet on track. The latest interim State of the World’s Migratory Species report, released prior to the COP, presented a sobering warning: the situation has worsened even since COP14 just two years prior, with a growing proportion of CMS-listed species experiencing population declines. This underscores the urgency with which the adopted resolutions must now be implemented.
The real test now lies in the implementation of these agreements. BirdLife International and its partners will be closely monitoring and advocating for action to ensure that the resolutions, decisions, and action plans agreed upon in Campo Grande are not merely aspirational but are translated into effective, on-the-ground conservation measures. This includes supporting national governments in integrating these international commitments into national legislation and policy, securing adequate funding, and fostering cross-border collaboration.
The trajectory of migratory species decline can still be reversed, but only if governments and all stakeholders act with the urgency and determination that the scientific evidence demands. The commitments made at CMS COP15 offer a renewed sense of hope and a clear pathway forward, but their success hinges entirely on a collective, sustained effort to protect the incredible journeys that connect our world.