Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds

Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds
Name	Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds
Long name	Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds
Date signed	1995
Location signed	The Hague
Date effective	1999
Parties	78 (as of 2024)
Languages	English, French

Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds is an international environmental treaty negotiated under the auspices of the Convention on Migratory Species and opened for signature in The Hague in 1995 that entered into force in 1999. The instrument unites range states across Africa, Europe and parts of Asia and coordinates actions among multilateral bodies such as the United Nations Environment Programme, the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature to conserve migratory waterbird populations. Its legal and technical architecture links national agencies like the Ministry of Environment (France), supranational organizations such as the European Union, and non-governmental groups including the World Wildlife Fund and the BirdLife International Partnership.

Background and Purpose

The agreement arose from negotiations within the Convention on Migratory Species framework, drawing on precedents from the Bonn Convention and instruments like the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and the Convention on Biological Diversity. Delegates from states including United Kingdom, Netherlands, South Africa, Egypt, and Kenya sought a legally binding mechanism to address threats identified at gatherings such as the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement Meeting and technical workshops convened by UNEP. The purpose is to conserve migratory waterbirds and their habitats through coordinated conservation actions, policy harmonization with the European Union Birds Directive, and capacity building with organizations like Wetlands International.

Parties and Institutional Structure

Signatory and acceding states range from Iceland and Norway to Morocco and Madagascar, with parties coordinating via a Secretariat hosted by the UN Environment Programme in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Convention on Migratory Species. Institutional organs include a Meeting of the Parties composed of delegations from states and observers such as the European Commission, the African Union, the Commonwealth of Nations, and NGOs like Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and Africana Bird Club. Technical work is led by a Standing Committee and specialist Working Groups that include representatives from research institutions such as the British Trust for Ornithology and Institut Français d'Ornithologie.

Scope and Species Coverage

The agreement covers migratory waterbird species that breed, migrate, or winter within the African-Eurasian flyways, incorporating taxa from families represented by species like the Spoon-billed Sandpiper (Critically Endangered), the Common Crane, the Whooper Swan, and the Greater Flamingo. Annexes identify species subject to special conservation measures, referencing taxonomic authorities such as the International Ornithological Congress and databases maintained by BirdLife International. Geographic scope aligns with flyway delineations used by Wetlands International and the European Bird Census Council, encompassing coastal wetlands, inland lakes, estuaries, and riverine systems in states including Spain, Italy, Ethiopia, and Niger.

Key Provisions and Instruments

Core provisions obligate parties to conserve habitats, regulate hunting and harvest in line with lists and moratoria adopted at Meetings of the Parties, and implement species action plans modeled after frameworks used by the Bonn Convention and the Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas. Instruments include legally adopted Action Plans, conservation guidelines produced with the International Waterbird Census, and Memoranda of Understanding with entities like Ramsar Convention Secretariat. Parties commit to designation of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas identified by BirdLife International and to integrate measures with regional instruments such as the EU Habitats Directive.

Implementation and Conservation Actions

Implementation is effected through national legislation, site protection, habitat restoration, and flyway-scale initiatives developed with partners including Wetlands International, IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas, and the Global Environment Facility. On-the-ground actions have involved wetland rehabilitation in Cameroon, coastal management in Ghana, and species recovery projects in Sweden and Mauritania, often funded by bilateral aid agencies like the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and philanthropic organizations such as the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. Capacity-building workshops have been held in collaboration with universities like the University of Cape Town and research centers such as the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences.

Monitoring, Reporting, and Research

The agreement requires regular reporting by parties to the Secretariat and coordination with monitoring programs such as the International Waterbird Census and databases curated by Wetlands International and BirdLife International. Scientific review is informed by contributions from institutions like the Global Flyway Network, the European Ornithologists' Union, and national agencies including Agencia Estatal de Meteorología (AEMET) and the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research. Periodic assessments presented at Meetings of the Parties synthesize population trends, threats analyses, and the status of priority species such as the Siberian Crane and the Marbled Teal.

Challenges and Impact

Challenges include habitat loss from infrastructure projects funded by multilateral lenders like the European Investment Bank and impacts of climate change documented by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, along with illegal hunting linked to regional markets and weak enforcement in some range states. Despite constraints, the agreement has contributed to the designation of numerous protected sites, informed national legislation in states such as France and Turkey, and supported recovery of certain species monitored by BirdLife International and the European Bird Census Council. Continued collaboration with stakeholders including the African Union Commission, the European Commission, and conservation NGOs remains essential to address transboundary threats across the African-Eurasian flyways.

Category:International environmental treaties Category:Bird conservation