UNEP Convention on Migratory Species Paola Deda Interagency-Liaison Officer CMS & Climate Change Working Group Meeting to Develop the Draft Policy Document on World Heritage and Climate Change Paris (France) 5-6 February, 2007

Conserving animals on the move for over 25 years climate change the reality now the impacts of climate change on biodiversity are already visible studies show clearly that changes in distribution and behavior of a large number of species are the consequence of shifts in local or regional climate, weather patterns and resulting changes of vegetation and habitat quality the work of IPCC has also made us all aware that climate change is likely to be the main driver of biodiversity loss in the future

Conserving animals on the move for over 25 years climate change defra report – august 2005 assesses the strength of current scientific evidence of links between climate change and migratory species’ behaviour, abundance and distribution identifies what effects climate change has had, and may have in the future, on migratory species identifies which species are threatened by climate change and comments on the measures proposed to tackle such threats comments on the reliability or uncertainty of predicted effects

Conserving animals on the move for over 25 years climate change roundtable held prior to CMS COP 8 in November 2005 presenting evidence on impacts on migratory species examples cover e.g. turtles, marine mammals, birds

Conserving animals on the move for over 25 years climate change publication – november 2006 interlinkages between biodiversity and climate change methods and data for vulnerability assessment of climate change impacts climate change and marine apex predators: some warning signals impacts of climate change on turtles: a case study summary of defra report resolutions by the parties of CMS and AEWA

Conserving animals on the move for over 25 years climate change presenting the evidence migratory species are good indicators of change do they adapt? how do they adapt? move to areas where preferred conditions prevail stay were they are and adapt die out

Conserving animals on the move for over 25 years climate change changes in migration routes and barriers to migration exotic southern fish species now inhabit the North Sea changes in wind patterns blow Monarch Butterflies off course birds extend their ranges polewards, stop migrating or are threatened on their journey through storms

Conserving animals on the move for over 25 years climate change habitat loss more frequent droughts reduce habitats of wetland species rising sea levels and increased erosion impinges on coastal habitats, affecting 20% of CMS avian species

Conserving animals on the move for over 25 years climate change changes in range range is increasing or shifting range is reducing

Conserving animals on the move for over 25 years climate change feeding shifts in abundance, distribution and seasonal range of plankton, krill and squid – the basis of the marine food chain changes in timing and abundance of food availability due to increased climatic variability

Conserving animals on the move for over 25 years climate change breeding, nesting, reproductive success more frequent and intense ENSO events loss of nesting beaches

Conserving animals on the move for over 25 years climate change disease and sex ratio warmer temperatures favouring certain diseases and lowering resilience of animals higher percentage of female turtle hatchlings due to higher beach temperatures

Conserving animals on the move for over 25 years climate change conservation priorities maintaining a coherent network of stopover sites, and collating the requisite information on such sites creating suitable migratory habitat – e.g. field margins, hedgerows, copses and ponds creating protected trans-boundary habitat corridors in remaining pristine areas managing human impacts on resources required by migratory species through ecosystem-based approach

Conserving animals on the move for over 25 years climate change monitoring and research priorities a long-term commitment to supporting schemes identifying conservation priorities and providing baseline data to measure impacts of Climate Change developing standardised protocols for monitoring populations, a unified system of alerts and thresholds to identify the success of environmental management practices improve baseline data on population status, movements and habitat requirements for species where existing information is deficient identify key indicator species develop software to assist practitioners with number of individuals using sites

Conserving animals on the move for over 25 years climate change legislative requirements specific previsions should be included in Agreements and MoUs to provide flexibility in addressing the needs of migratory species impacted by Climate Change in marine systems, mitigation of Climate Change may be only solution - in terrestrial systems adaptation measures are more likely to be successful integrated and holistic approach to conservation – ecosystem management should include floodplain management, coastal protection and measures to counter deforestation, covering wildlife, human and economic concerns improve cooperation between Conventions

Conserving animals on the move for over 25 years climate change CMS COP Resolution 8.13 to identify research priorities to assess which migratory species face the greatest threats to review the range state list in view of changes of distribution as a result of Climate Change to collaborate with other Conventions to undertake research into Climate Change impacts to produce guidance to Parties to help develop policies to counteract the effects of Climate Change the 8 th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CMS (Nairobi, September 2005) called upon its Scientific Council

Conserving animals on the move for over 25 years climate change AEWA MOP Resolution 3.17 to give priority to an assessment of current evidence of the effects of changing climate on migratory waterbirds to assess which species face the greatest threats to review the implications of modelled future patterns of climate change on waterbirds to outline possible means of adapting to these changes to identify relevant actions that might be undertaken as part of the international implementation of the Agreement the 3 rd Meeting of the Parties to AEWA (Dakar, October 2005) called upon its Technical Committee

Conserving animals on the move for over 25 years climate change world migratory bird day 2007 Birds in a Changing Climate