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Concerted Actions (Rev.COP14)

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Table of Contents

  1. Preamble
  4. Paragraph 3.
  6. Paragraph 5.
  7. Paragraph 6.
  8. Paragraph 7.
  9. Paragraph 8.
  10. Paragraph 9.

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15 Feb, 2020
17 Feb, 2024 en 15 Feb, 2020 en

Concerted Actions (Rev.COP14)

Recalling the preamble of the Convention, which refers to the Parties’ conviction that conservation and management of migratory species require the concerted action of all Range States,Further recalling work by the Secretariat and the Scientific Council to encourage and assist Parties to take actions to implement the provisions of the Convention, and which initiated a process for each meeting of the Conference of Parties to recommend Concerted Actions to improve the conservation status of certain listed migratory species,Recalling also Resolution 3.2, as updated by Resolutions 4.2, 5.1, 6.1, 7.1, 8.29, 9.1, 10.23, and 11.13 and Recommendation 5.2, as updated by Recommendations 6.2, 7.1, 8.28, and amendments that were adopted to this resolution by COP131; which advise the Secretariat and the Scientific Council to encourage and assist Parties to take Concerted and Cooperative Actions to implement the provisions of the Convention and to improve the conservation status of certain listed migratory species, and1The Resolutions and Recommendations were repealed and consolidated into Resolution 12.28, which was amended at COP14.Recalling the decision of the Parties at COP11 to consolidate Concerted Actions and Cooperative Actions into a single process, as described in Resolution 11.13,The Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals
1.Determines that Concerted Actions are priority conservation measures, projects or institutional arrangements undertaken to improve the conservation status of selected Appendix I and Appendix II species or selected groups of Appendix I and Appendix II species that:
a)involve measures that are the collective responsibility of Parties acting in concert; or
b)are designed to support the conclusion of an instrument under Article IV of the Convention and enable conservation measures to be progressed in the meantime or represent an alternative to such an instrument;
2.Adopts
a)the Guidelines to the Implementation of the Concerted Actions Process contained in Annex 1 to this Resolution; and
b)the Format for Proposing Concerted Actions contained in Annex 2 to this Resolution;
and requests Parties, the Scientific Council, the Secretariat and other relevant stakeholders to take them fully into account in the different steps of the Concerted Actions process;
3.Requests that proposals for Concerted Actions are submitted to the meetings of the COP by the proponents in the form of projects aimed at specific species listed in the Appendices, which often cover only part of the range of the species concerned;
4.Requests the proponent(s) of each Concerted Action agreed by the Conference of the Parties to report on progress on implementation of the Concerted Action to the Scientific Council meeting preceding the Conference of the Parties, with a view to the Scientific Council:
a)Reviewing progress on implementation of each Concerted Action;
b)advising on further action to be taken by proponent(s), or if the Concerted Action should be concluded;
In particular circumstances, such as drastic changes in the conservation status of the species covered by the Concerted Action and/or significant increase of threats (actual or potential) to the species, more frequent reports may be submitted to the Scientific Council;
5.Decides to review, at each meeting of the Conference of the Parties, progress in implementing Concerted Actions, in accordance with the Guidelines to the Implementation of the Concerted Actions Process contained in Annex 1 to this Resolution;
6.Instructs the Secretariat and requests the Scientific Council to encourage and assist Parties to undertake existing and develop new Concerted Actions to implement the provisions of the Convention, where possible through existing instruments of bilateral or multilateral cooperation;
7.Instructs the Secretariat to establish and maintain an online register of ongoing and completed Concerted Actions;
8.Urges Parties to provide the in-kind and financial means required to support targeted conservation measures aimed at implementing the Concerted Actions endorsed by the Conference of the Parties; and
9.Encourages Parties and other stakeholders to implement the activities included in Concerted Actions endorsed by the Conference of the Parties.

Annex 1

Guidelines to the implementation of the concerted actions process

Step 1 – Proposing species for Concerted Actions

1)Proposals for Concerted Actions can be submitted to the Conference of the Parties by Parties, and other relevant stakeholders by the same deadline applicable to listing proposals.
2)Proposals for Concerted Actions may address a single species, lower taxon or population, or a group of taxa with needs in common. The target animals in each case should be clearly defined, including by listing their names (scientific name plus common names in each of the three languages of the Convention) and by reference to their status in terms of the CMS Appendices and the geographical range(s) concerned.
3)Proposals for Concerted Actions should be submitted using the template provided in Annex 2 to this Resolution.
4)Proposals seeking to commit other entities, including Range States or the Secretariat, to specific activities should consult with those entities in advance of submission to ensure their agreement with the proposed activities. Upon request by the proponent, the Secretariat may assist with the consultations with Parties.

Step 2 – Assessment of proposal by the Scientific Council/Sessional Committee

1)The Scientific Council will assess the merits of the proposals for Concerted Actions submitted to the Conference of the Parties pursuant to Step 1 above.
2)The Scientific Council will assess the merits of each proposal, taking into account the following criteria:
(i)Conservation priorityMay relate to the degree of endangerment or unfavourable conservation status as defined under the Convention; the urgency with which a particular kind of action is required; and other priorities expressed in CMS decisions.
(ii)RelevanceMay relate to the degree to which the particular conservation problem is linked to migration and requires collective multilateral action; and the degree to which the proposed action will fulfil specific CMS mandates.
(iii)Absence of better remediesAn options analysis to test whether (and why) a CMS Concerted Action is the best method of meeting the defined conservation need. Alternatives both within and outside the mechanisms of the CMS should be considered2.2For cases where it appears that proceeding directly to the development of an Agreement or other instrument under Article IV of the Convention would be a better remedy, equivalent guidance and criteria for judging such proposals is provided in Resolution 12.08, Implementation of Articles IV and V of the Convention.
(iv)Readiness and feasibilityThe proposal will need to demonstrate meaningful prospects for funding and leadership, and to address all significant issues of practical feasibility for undertaking the action.
(v)Likelihood of successFeasibility (see previous criterion) only concerns whether an action is likely to be implementable. Criterion (v) seeks in addition to assess whether implementation is likely to lead to the intended outcome. Risk factors to consider include: uncertainty about the ecological effects; weakness in the underpinning science; lack of a “legacy mechanism” by which results can be sustained; and activities by others that may undermine or negate the results of the action.
(vi)Magnitude of likely impactProposals that are equal in other respects might be prioritized according to the number of species, number of countries or extent of area that will benefit in each case; the scope for catalytic or “multiplier” effects, contribution to synergies or potential for acting as “flagship” cases for broadening outreach.
(vii)Cost-effectivenessProposals should specify the resources they require, but should also relate these to the scale of impact expected, so that cost-effectiveness can be judged.
3)If the Scientific Council considers it beneficial, it may recommend extending or reducing the number of species covered by the proposal or suggest amendments to the proposed conservation measures, including any further actions, as necessary.

Step 3 – Recommendation to the Conference of Parties on the acceptance of proposals for Concerted Actions

1)Based on its assessment of the merits of a proposal, the Scientific Council will make its recommendations to the Conference of the Parties regarding the acceptance or rejection of the proposal, including any recommendations for amendments or further actions.
2)The recommendation of the Scientific Council to the Conference of the Parties regarding the acceptance of the proposal may be conditional to the acceptance by the proponent of any amendment of the proposal recommended by the Scientific Council.

Step 4 – Decision of the COP to accept proposals for Concerted Actions

1)The Conference of the Parties will consider the recommendations of the Scientific Council and decide whether or not to accept the proposal for Concerted Actions, including the conservation measures proposed and the list of range States concerned.

Step 5 – Reporting and monitoring of implementation of Concerted Actions

1)Proponents will provide a concise written report to the meeting of the Scientific Council preceding the Conference of the Parties on progress in the implementation of actions for the species or taxonomic group concerned. In particular circumstances, such as drastic changes in the conservation status of the species covered by the Concerted Action and/or a significant increase of threats (actual or potential) to the species, more frequent reports may be submitted to the Scientific Council.
2)Parties and Non-Parties that are Range States of species covered by accepted proposals for Concerted Actions are requested to cooperate in providing information to the proponents.
3)Proponents should submit a report on the implementation of the Concerted Action to the Conference of the Parties by the same deadline applicable to listing proposals.
4)The Scientific Council will evaluate the progress made in implementation of Concerted Actions and make appropriate recommendations for further actions, as necessary.
5)Parties that are Range States of species covered by accepted proposals for Concerted Actions should report as part of their National Reports on progress in implementation of Concerted Actions.
6)The Conference of the Parties will review the progress made in implementing Concerted Actions in order to measure the effectiveness of the instrument.

Step 6 – Continuation and closure of Concerted Actions

1)Proponents of an accepted Concerted Action will, through the submission of a progress report by the deadline for COP documents with a scientific component, indicate whether the Concerted Action is proposed for continuation in the subsequent intersessional period, be considered complete or be closed for other specified reasons.
2)If the proponent wishes to continue and extend the Concerted Action, a proposal for extension should be submitted to the Conference of Parties, including a revised proposal for Concerted Action.
3)For Concerted Actions proposed to be continued, the Scientific Council, having assessed progress in their implementation, will recommend to the Conference of Parties whether they should be continued or closed.
4)In the event that no report is received, the Concerted Action will be considered closed.
5)For Concerted Actions proposed for closure, the proponent should report lessons learned from undertaking the Concerted Action for review by the Scientific Council.
6)The Conference of Parties, taking into consideration the recommendation of the Scientific Council will, at each of its meetings, decide whether a proposal for the extension of a Concerted Action for the subsequent intersessional period should be adopted.

Annex 2

Template for proposing Concerted Actions

Proponents of proposals for Concerted Actions are requested to fill in the template below. The information required in the template is derived from Resolution 12.28 (Rev. COP14). The information compiled should as far as possible provide a balanced assessment of the advantages and risks associated with each issue, rather than being seen solely as a tool for persuasion.Proposals can be submitted to the Conference of the Parties by the same deadline applicable to listing proposals.All text in blue should be removed when submitting the proposal.
Proponent(s)Provide the name of the proponent(s) and in the case of a stakeholder demonstrate your relevance to the species and CMS.
Target species, lower taxon or population, or group of taxa with needs in commonList the species, lower taxon or population, or list of taxa with needs in common concerned by the proposed Concerted Actions in accordance with the names used within the CMS Appendices.Provide Scientific names, plus common names in all three languages of the Convention.
Geographical rangeDefine the geographical range of the target species.
Summary of activitiesSummarize the activities proposed (approx. 200 words).
Associated benefitsIdentify opportunities to maximize added value, for example where actions targeting certain migratory animals may incidentally benefit other migratory species/taxa/populations, or where there is good scope for awareness-raising, capacity-building or encouraging new Party accessions.
TimeframeSpecify completion timeframes (and progress milestones where possible) and identify any elements of the action that are intended to be open-ended (e.g. measures to maintain conservation status).
Relationship to other CMS actionsExplain how the action’s implementation will relate to other areas of CMS activity. This may form part of its purpose, for example if it is designed to lead to an Agreement; or it may involve showing how the action will support the Strategic Plan or COP decisions. It may also be necessary to show how different Concerted Actions complement or interact with each other.
Conservation priorityExplain why this action is a conservation priority. This may relate to the degree of endangerment or unfavourable conservation status as defined under the Convention; the urgency with which a particular kind of action is required; and other priorities expressed in CMS resolutions and decisions.
RelevanceExplain, for example, the degree to which the particular conservation problem is linked to migration and requires collective multilateral action; and the degree to which the proposed action will fulfil specific CMS mandates.
Absence of better remediesProvide a brief options analysis to test whether (and why) a CMS Concerted Action is the best method of meeting the defined conservation need. Alternatives both within and outside the mechanisms of the CMS should be considered. (For cases where it appears that proceeding directly to the development of an Agreement or other instrument under Article IV of the Convention would be a better remedy, equivalent guidance and criteria for judging such proposals is provided in Resolution 12.8 and document UNEP/CMS/COP11/Doc.22.2/Annex 1).
Readiness and feasibilityDemonstrate meaningful prospects for funding and leadership, and address all significant issues of practical feasibility for undertaking the action.
Likelihood of successExplain how implementation is likely to lead to the intended outcome. Risk factors to consider include: uncertainty about the ecological effects; weakness in the underpinning science; lack of a “legacy mechanism” by which results can be sustained; and activities by others that may undermine or negate the results of the action.
Magnitude of likely impactExplain the number of species, number of countries or extent of area that will benefit from the action; the scope for catalytic or “multiplier” effects, contribution to synergies or potential for acting as “flagship” cases for broadening outreach.
Cost-effectivenessSpecify the resources required and relate these to the scale of impact expected, so that cost-effectiveness can be judged.
Consultations planned/undertakenConsult with any other entities, including Range States or the Secretariat, that the proposal commits to specific activities in advance of submission to ensure their agreement with the proposed activities. Specify the results of the consultations.
Activities and expected outcomes
ActivityOutputs/OutcomesTimeframeResponsibilityFunding