Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: CMS
Context: The “Climate Change & Migratory Species: A Review of Impacts, Conservation Actions, indicators and Ecosystem Services” report has been released by the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS)
The key message of the report:
Migratory species play a crucial role in ecosystems, offering essential services that mitigate climate change impacts and enhance resilience to climatic hazards. Examples include whales aiding nutrient transfer and storing carbon, and antelopes reducing wildfire risks through grazing. Climate change poses severe threats to migratory species, impacting their habitats, migration patterns, and reproductive success
Key recommendations:
- Global Conservation:
- Reduce Land Change: Minimize land change for biodiversity and CO2.
- Protective Networks: Create linked protected areas for migratory species.
- Advocate for Benefits: Promote climate advantages of species conservation.
- CMS Specific Actions:
- Evaluate Ecosystem Functions: Assess and share species’ ecosystem roles.
- Adaptation Proposals: Suggest measures for species adaptation.
- Indicators Development: Create climate impact indicators.
- Research and Monitoring:
- Identify Vulnerable Species: Recognize negatively impacted species.
- Prioritize Route Changes: Highlight species changing migration routes.
- Ecosystem Service Research: Study species’ services in climate change.
- Human Adaptation Impact: Investigate human adaptation effects on species.
About CMS:
The Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) (enforced since 1983; HQ: Bonn (Germany), also known as the Bonn Convention, is an environmental treaty of the United Nations (UNEP provides support) that provides a global platform for the conservation and sustainable use of terrestrial, aquatic and avian migratory animals and their habitats. It has 133 members including India. It consists of two appendices: Appendix I (migratory species that are in danger of extinction) and Appendix II (Migratory species that will benefit from conservation)
