Governments from across the globe converged in Campo Grande, Brazil, from March 23 to 29, 2026, for the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), where they took decisive action to bolster the conservation of migratory birds. Delegates reached landmark agreements, establishing a pioneering marine flyway framework and strengthening protections for vulnerable seabirds, raptors, and shorebirds, signaling a renewed commitment to safeguarding Earth’s interconnected ecosystems.
A Critical Juncture for Global Biodiversity
Migratory species, traversing vast distances across continents and oceans, serve as vital ecological connectors, linking diverse habitats, cultures, and communities. Their journeys, however, also act as critical indicators of environmental health, highlighting areas where nature is under severe pressure and urgent intervention is required. Against a sobering backdrop of accelerating species decline and a rapidly diminishing window to achieve ambitious global biodiversity targets, CMS COP15 was heralded as a pivotal moment for international conservation efforts.
The Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) stands as the only global treaty exclusively dedicated to the protection of migratory species and their habitats. Its role is crucial in translating broad international commitments into tangible, on-the-ground actions, empowering governments to protect species, restore degraded habitats, and maintain the essential ecological connectivity upon which these remarkable travelers depend. The conference unfolded amidst the stark warnings of the latest interim State of the World’s Migratory Species report, which indicated a worsening situation for many CMS-listed species since the previous COP just two years prior, underscoring the urgent need for robust, coordinated action.
The BirdLife Partnership played a prominent role throughout the conference, with a formidable delegation of 38 experts from across the world, including representatives from 19 national Partners. Their collective expertise and advocacy were instrumental in supporting governments to navigate complex negotiations and deliver meaningful, impactful outcomes for migratory birds and other species.
Marine Flyways: A Historic Leap Forward for Ocean Conservation
One of the most significant breakthroughs at COP15 was the formal recognition of marine flyways for the first time. For decades, global conservation frameworks for migratory species had primarily focused on terrestrial and coastal routes, leaving vast stretches of the world’s oceans as a notable gap in coordinated protection efforts. Scientists and conservationists have hailed this landmark decision as one of the most substantial advances in ocean conservation in a generation, acknowledging the critical, yet often unseen, migratory pathways that crisscross marine environments.
The establishment of marine flyways provides an essential structural framework for countries and diverse stakeholders to effectively coordinate conservation priorities, mobilize crucial financial resources, and deliver impactful actions across shared ocean spaces. This innovative framework is designed not only to benefit migratory seabirds, which are among the most threatened avian groups globally due to threats like bycatch in fisheries, plastic pollution, and climate change, but also extends its protective umbrella to other migratory marine megafauna, including whales, sharks, and sea turtles. Given that seabirds are powerful bio-indicators of marine ecosystem health, this resolution is expected to play a critical role in assisting governments in achieving broader global ocean targets, particularly those outlined under the newly adopted High Seas Treaty (BBNJ Agreement), which aims to protect biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
Further solidifying marine flyway conservation efforts, COP15 saw the listing of several key species on the CMS Appendices. Gadfly petrels, a group of oceanic seabirds known for their acrobatic flight and long-distance foraging, and the Flesh-footed Shearwater (Ardenna carneipes), a species facing significant threats from plastic ingestion and fisheries bycatch, were added. These listings provide them with enhanced international protection. Additionally, concerted action plans for the Flesh-footed Shearwater and the Antipodean Albatross (Diomedea antipodensis), a critically endangered species severely impacted by longline fishing, were adopted, developed with significant support from the BirdLife Partnership. These plans outline specific conservation measures and collaborative strategies to reverse their population declines.
A New Dawn for the Americas: The Americas Flyways Initiative
COP15 also marked a pivotal moment for migratory species conservation across the Americas with the agreement to establish the CMS Initiative for the Americas Flyways. This dedicated mechanism is designed to implement the comprehensive Americas Flyways Framework and its associated Action Plan, representing a significant governance milestone for the region. For the first time, the Americas Flyways will possess a formal instrument to drive coordinated, cross-border conservation action, moving beyond fragmented national efforts.
The groundwork for this initiative was meticulously laid at the Third Meeting of the CMS Americas Flyways Task Force, which immediately preceded COP15. The BirdLife Partnership, in collaboration with the National Audubon Society, played an active and supportive role in these preliminary discussions, offering ongoing assistance to governments over the next three years to operationalize and effectively implement the initiative. This commitment underscores the understanding that effective conservation in such a vast and diverse region requires sustained collaboration and robust institutional support.
Ana Agreda, Conservation Project Coordinator for Aves y Conservación, BirdLife Partner in Ecuador, emphasized the importance of this collaborative spirit: “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 reflects the growing recognition that successful conservation outcomes hinge on strong partnerships between governmental bodies and non-governmental organizations, pooling resources, expertise, and local knowledge.
Strengthening Conservation Efforts for Raptors
COP15 delivered substantial progress for raptors, a group of birds that often sit at the apex of their food webs and are highly vulnerable to environmental changes. Parties agreed to the establishment of Internationally Important Raptor Areas worldwide, a crucial step to identify and protect key sites for breeding, migration, and wintering. The iconic Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus), a charismatic Arctic species whose populations fluctuate significantly and are impacted by climate change, was listed on Appendix II of CMS, recognizing its need for international cooperation to manage and conserve its populations and habitats. Furthermore, a new Action Plan for the Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis), a long-distance migrant facing threats from electrocution, habitat loss, and poisoning, was adopted, meticulously prepared by RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds).
A significant development focused on vultures, a group facing catastrophic declines globally, primarily due to poisoning. Governments agreed to develop a multi-species Action Plan for Vultures in the Americas by COP16 in 2029, modeled on the successful African-Eurasian plan. This regional approach aims to address specific threats faced by American vulture species. Moreover, COP15 strengthened the CMS mandate on restricting the veterinary use of Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) that are known to be lethal to vultures and other raptors when consumed from animal carcasses. Workshops were agreed upon to support governments in implementing these critical measures, emphasizing the need for practical application of policy decisions.
A Forward Stride for Shorebirds
Shorebirds, characterized by their long migratory journeys and reliance on specific wetland habitats, also received enhanced protection at COP15. Three species traversing the Americas flyways – the Hudsonian Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus), the Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica), and the Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) – were added to CMS Appendix I. This listing confers upon them the highest level of protection under the Convention, obliging Parties to strictly protect these species, conserve their habitats, and prevent factors that might endanger them. These species undertake epic migrations, connecting breeding grounds in the Arctic with non-breeding areas in South America, making them particularly vulnerable to habitat loss and degradation along their entire migratory routes.
The COP also noted the formal adoption by the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership of the Action Plan for the Spoon-billed Sandpiper (Calidris pygmaea). This critically endangered shorebird, with a global population estimated at fewer than 500 mature individuals, faces imminent extinction primarily due to habitat loss at its migratory stopover sites and wintering grounds. The Action Plan, developed with significant input from the BirdLife team, outlines urgent, collaborative measures to pull this species back from the brink.
Aligning Renewable Energy Development with Migratory Species Conservation
The global imperative to transition to renewable energy sources, while critical for mitigating climate change, also presents potential challenges for migratory species. There is growing recognition that poorly planned infrastructure, such as wind farms and solar arrays, can pose significant risks, including direct mortality through collisions, habitat fragmentation, and disruption of migratory pathways.
This critical cross-cutting theme was a prominent discussion point at COP15. The BirdLife Partnership actively contributed to these discussions through its coordination of the CMS Energy Task Force (ETF). The ETF serves as a crucial platform for developing guidelines and best practices to ensure that renewable energy development is implemented in an ecologically sound manner, minimizing negative impacts on migratory species.
In a demonstration of regional leadership, the Government of Brazil proactively invited countries from the Group of Latin America and the Caribbean (GRULAC) 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 key platform for aligning essential energy development with the equally vital conservation of migratory species. This proactive engagement is crucial for preventing future conflicts between infrastructure development and biodiversity protection.
The Path Forward: Implementation and Urgency
The outcomes of CMS COP15 represent a significant stride in international cooperation for migratory species conservation. However, as Nina Mikander, Global Director of Policy and Business at BirdLife International, eloquently stated, "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."
Migratory species are more than just a conservation concern; they serve as a powerful measure of how effectively the world is delivering on its broader biodiversity commitments. The CMS is the primary international treaty supporting governments in meeting their obligations under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), particularly concerning species conservation, ecological connectivity, and sustainable use.
Yet, with the ambitious 2030 targets of the KMGBF fast approaching, most governments are not yet on track to achieve them. The interim State of the World’s Migratory Species report, which preceded COP15, presented a stark and sobering warning: the situation has demonstrably worsened even in the short two years since COP14, with an increasing proportion of CMS-listed species experiencing population declines.
CMS COP15 has successfully delivered a comprehensive set of concrete, practical tools that governments can now utilize to accelerate progress towards their KMGBF commitments. The true test of these agreements, however, lies in their implementation. BirdLife International and its global Partnership will be closely monitoring and actively advocating for decisive action to ensure that the resolutions, decisions, and action plans agreed upon in Campo Grande are not merely aspirational but are rigorously delivered on the ground. The trajectory of migratory species decline can still be reversed, but only if governments and all stakeholders act with the profound urgency and unwavering commitment that the scientific evidence unequivocally demands. The future of these magnificent global travelers, and indeed the health of our planet, depends on it.