Quito CMS COP 5 - Final Hurdles and Close.REV

The great hall is almost empty - ready for business in the early morning

We are not back in the great hall in the CoW - endorsing and otherwise amending what was agreed over the last week. Please stand by for the final conclusions on some key issues including those related to cetaceans, the polar bear and others. We really are approaching the final hurdles now.

For the first few minutes, we proceed at great speed, endorsing a long stream of initiatives and the flow is only halted when we come to bird poisoning and some NGOs make long interventions.

Matters that have been agreed to this point include the shark resolution, the strategic and climate work plans, the resolution on civil society, the action plan for migratory land birds, the marine debris resolution, guidelines for listing proposals and much more.

Under 'synergies and partnerships' UNEP adds some words to the resolution. These are agreed.

The restructuring of the scientific council proposal is endorsed.

We move to Financial and Administrative matters: The Chair of the F and A committee is not present and South Africa asks for more time on his behalf. This is thus moved to Plenary. Chile asks if the group will meet again? Not clear.

The CoW now closes and the Chairman thanks all for 'putting up with him'. He receives warm applause.

There is a long pause - we may anticipate some drama on the contentious issue of the budget now.

The Ecuadorian Minister for the Environment,Lorena Tapia, returns as our chair for the concluding plenary. In her opening comments she describes the world as being at a tipping point and notes that the wealth of 1% is six times greater than all of the rest.

We move through some organisational matters.that are agreed without comment and then suddenly are in the listing proposals - and the Chair reminds us of the rule agreed on day one that means the decisions of the CoW can only be reopened by a vote of 2/3 of the parties.

Oystein the Chair oif the CoW [Committee of the Whole] is returned to the microphone and now reads out the list of all the species starting with Ziphius, the Cuvier's beaked whale (Mediterranean population) and including the sawfishes, sharks and rays....the polar bear and many others.

Are there any objections asks the chair. There is a pause...

No. She brings down the gavel and it is done. There is loud applause.


The silky shark and European Eel are recommended for inclusion in Appendix II - gavel + applause.

She invites comments from the floor on any of the species listing proposals.

Peru notes its support for the inclusion of the silky shark in appendix 2.Chile joins the consensus.

The lion proposal roars in - this is now a resolution (in Doc CRP 4).

The Executive Secretary takes the floor to say that we do not have the document in all three languages and asks Kenya to read out some changes. Kenya says the English version is still not correct but he reads out the changes. It is adopted. (Rebecca claps.)

We now move to the resolutions

- strategic plan,
There is no objection and it is adopted.

-climate change and migratory species
There is no objection and it is adopted.

- CRP 3 is adopted

-CRP 5 on invasive species is adopted

- CRP 6 on review of decisions is adopted - thanks to a meeting of a small friends of the chair.

-CRP 7 guidelines on listing proposals - adopted

-CRP 8 next meeting of the parties - adopted

-CRP 9 - Sustainable Boat-Based Wildlife Watching as discussed in the Aquatic working group and approved by the CoW - adopted.

- CRP 10 - renewable energy - adopted

-CRP 11 - action plan for migratory land  birds in the Eurasian region -adopted

-CRP 12 - taxonomy and nomenclature of birds - adopted.

-CRP 13 - conservation implications of cetacean culture - the chair notes that amendments came from the aquatic working group and the revised document was agreed by the CoW - adopted

- CRP 14 - management of marine debris - no objection - adopted. The committee also recommended taking note of the three annexes (review documents) - agreed

-CRP 15 - Live captures of cetaceans from the wild - the aquatic working group proposed some amendments - any objections? None. Adopted.

-CRP 16 - adopted

-CRP 17 - concerns large animal migrations in central Asia and the Argali sheep - adopted without amendment. Adopted.

- CRP 18 - ecological networks - adopted

- CRP 19 - fighting wildlife crime - adopted

- CRP 20 - communications - adopted (applause from somewhere near the USA)

- CRP 21 -  - adopted

- CRP 22 - concerted and cooperative actions - adopted.

- CRP 23 - criteria for assessing proposals for new proposals - Brazil asks for the floor and notes that the working group did not report to the CoW and takes this opportunity for thanking all parties for their contributions. He then add that these words actually relate to document 33.

- CRP 24 - enhancing the effectiveness of the organisation - adopted

- CRP 25 - discussion postponed

- CRP 26 - world migratory bird day - adopted.

- CRP 27 - sakar falcon global action plan - considered by the Avian working group - no objection by the plenary and adopted.

- CRP 28 - enhancing synergies - substantial changes were made and then the CoW recommended it be adopted, and it is.

- CRP 29 - migratory birds and flyways - adopted

- CRP 30 - on prevention of illegal killing, taking and trade of migratory birds - adopted

- CRP 31 - on preventing poisoning of migratory birds - adopted

- CRP 32 - synergies and ppartnerships- a friends of the chair group amended this and it is approved.

- CRP 33 - scientific council restructuring - no objections? Someone calls out but it is not an objection and it is adopted.

- CRP 34 - programme of work - adopted

- CRP 35 - capacity-building work programme

And so we continue....

Then  suddenly we are in 'the date and venue of the next meeting' - the Philippines have offered to host CoP 12.

They take the floor noting that they are a mega-diverse country and that they have three of the largest shopping malls in the world. ... it is more fun in the Philippines he adds and we are shown a jolly video.

Rules of procedure return - and are now approved.

The adoption of the report arrives but there are now many interventions on the budget. Germany believes that the budget has been agreed and it is a pity he adds that there are so many constraints on the parties in economic terms.

Eventually, the Chair says that the resolution has been discussed and adopted and no one wants to argue.

And we move on.

Finally, under AoB a closing intervention comes from NGO corner:

We leave this 11th Conference of the Parties in beautiful Ecuador with much to celebrate and I speak here on the behalf of the following organisations, the Pew Charitable Trusts, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, Borne Free, IFAW, Shark Advocates International, Project Aware, the Humane Society International and Bird Life International; and others may also wish to associate.
.

Ground-breaking resolutions have been agreed in terms of both the integration of animal social biology and culture into the work of this convention and also the call that has gone out to the wider world to end the live capture of cetaceans at sea for commercial purposes. These are inspiring developments and puts CMS firmly into a leadership role in the international conservation community.

This has also been the most innovative COP ever for the avian agenda. Guidance, with associated working groups to promote implementation on the ground, was adopted to address key threats to migratory birds, namely illegal killing, taking and trade, poisoning and poorly planned renewable energy developments.  The action adopted for Africa-Eurasian landbirds, with a lead from African parties, will complement existing instruments for waterbirds and raptors and provide a framework for linking with other stakeholders to ensure sustainable land use in Africa.  Parties from Latin American have taken a similar lead with respect to the newly adopted Americas Flyways Framework.

Similarly, we salute all the Parties and the Secretariat in successfully carrying forward a number of excellent and important marine initiatives, including of course the listings of sharks and rays. These listings are just the start of the further urgent work that these species need to ensure that they have a future. We congratulate you on the listing of the great ice bear. We look forward to new initiatives being developed under the auspices of CMS for this emblematic species and hope that the peoples of the region will come to see this as a friendly, appropriate and respectful attempt from the wider international community to protect this species which is revered, admired and appreciated across the whole planet. While disappointed to see the withdrawal of the Appendix II listing for the lion, we appreciate the effort that has gone into developing a meaningful resolution and urge the CMS family and all stakeholders to work together to ensure future generations can see these iconic animals in the wild, and not just behind bars or fences.

We highly commend CMS for taking far-reaching decisions to strengthen the convention overall via the new Strategic Plan, the new Listing Criteria and other governance decisions. These things make CoP11 a key meeting in the history of this convention, increasing the chance for better conservation and well-being of migratory species around the world. WE urge governments to take action resulting in adequate financial support for the work ahead. 

We encourage you all to build further on what has been agreed here on the cross-cutting threats including marine debris, poisoning, illegal trade and of course climate change.

The role of civil society is primarily to help you to help the migratory species. We deeply appreciate the openness of the dialogue that we have here. We sometimes have our differences, of course, but this is all part of a healthy process of dialogue and debate, as is the ability of a convention to appropriately review and accordingly amend and develop its work programmes. As partner and non-partner organisations, we commit to work with you all in achieving the best outcomes for all species and all threats.

Madam Chair, we thank the Secretariat for their excellent facilitation of this meeting and thank you one last time for the kind hospitality that Ecuador has shown to us. 

Muchas gracias Señora Presidente

There is  applause. 

The Ecuadorian minister returns to the podium - many species she says are waiting for us to take actions she says and calls for that action. 

Señora Presidente

Bradnee Chambers comes last to the platform.

This has been the biggest and the best conference with unprecedented results - this is the result of months of planning and much work behind the scenes. 

He too thanks the chair for her warm hospitality. She has fed us and entertained us, he adds. He notes among other things the new partnership with HSI and concludes on a high note that the time for talk is over and now it is time for action. 

Bradnee's final speech at CoP 11

Some gift giving follows. First the minister and then others that have helped to make the conference a success recieve colourful bouquets. Soon many flowers are cradled in many arms. In  return the minister thanks Bradnee for his kind words. 

She makes two closing announcements and call for the members of the CMS standing committee to stay put. The delegations should also stay for an official photograph and then redoubtable Melanie Virtue of the CMS Secretariat says that it is her bittersweet responsibility to tell us how to leave here and explains the bus schedule back from the mall to central Quito.. 

And it is done.Soon we are back in the bus whizzing back up the winding roads and into the future.


Article in the Guardian today about this HERE.and new (and on Wednesday concluding) reports and excellent pictures of the CoP from ENB HERE.including Mr Simmonds in action HERE!