 The
Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory
Waterbirds (AEWA) is an intergovernmental treaty dedicated
to the conservation of migratory waterbirds and their habitats
across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, Greenland
and the Canadian Archipelago.
Developed under the framework of the Convention on Migratory
Species (CMS)
and administered by the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP),
AEWA brings together countries and the wider international
conservation community in an effort to establish coordinated
conservation and management of migratory waterbirds throughout
their entire migratory range.
Species Covered by AEWA
AEWA covers 255 species of birds ecologically dependent
on wetlands for at least part of their annual cycle, including
many species of divers, grebes, pelicans, cormorants, herons,
storks, rails, ibises, spoonbills, flamingos, ducks, swans,
geese, cranes, waders, gulls, terns, tropic birds, auks,
frigate birds and even the south African penguin.
All AEWA species cross international boundaries
during their migrations and require good quality habitat
for breeding as well as a network of suitable sites to support
their annual journeys. International cooperation across
their entire migratory range, as provided by AEWA, is therefore
essential for the conservation and management of migratory
waterbird populations and the habitats on which they depend.
Agreement Area, Range States
and Contracting Parties
The Agreement area stretches from the northern reaches of
Canada and the Russian Federation to the southernmost tip
of Africa, covering
119 Range States from Europe, parts
of Asia and Canada, the Middle East and Africa. Currently
71 countries and the
European Union (EU) have become a Contracting
Party to AEWA (as of 1 June 2013). The Agreement provides
for coordinated and concerted action to be taken by the
Range States throughout the migration system of waterbirds
to which it applies.
The Structure
of AEWA
The Agreement has three main bodies: the Meeting of the
Parties (MOP), which is the governing body
of AEWA, the Standing Committee (StC)
and Technical Committee (TC), respectively
responsible for steering the operations between sessions
of the MOP and for providing scientific advice. The UNEP/AEWA
Secretariat supports the Parties and services the bodies
of the Agreement.
The latest, fifth Session of the Meeting
of the Parties took place from 14-18 May 2012 in La Rochelle,
France. For more information on MOP5
click here.
The AEWA Action Plan
The core activities carried out under AEWA are described
in its Action
Plan, which is legally binding for all countries
that have joined the Agreement. The AEWA Action Plan specifies
different measures to be undertaken by Contracting Parties
to warrant the conservation of migratory waterbirds within
their national boundaries. These include species and habitat
protection and the management of human activities as well
as legal and emergency measures. Research and monitoring,
education, awareness-raising and capacity building are also
essential tasks for the implementation of the Agreement.
In addition, special protective measures are to be implemented
for those waterbird populations of particular conservation
concern, listed in Column A of the Action Plan.
For more information about AEWA please see:
AEWA: A tool for International Cooperation
(General introduction Leaflet on AEWA)
|
