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World Migratory Bird Day Unveils 2025 Conservation Theme: Creating Bird-Friendly Cities & Communities

“Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-friendly Cities and Communities” is the theme of World Migratory Bird Day 2025

The partners behind World Migratory Bird Day are happy to announce that the theme for the 2025 campaign will be dedicated to creating bird-friendly cities and communities. Next year's campaign will highlight the need for a healthy coexistence between humans and birds. It will focus on creating and adapting environments that support migratory bird populations across all communities, from bustling cities to smaller towns and communities. There are actions everyone can take to protect our shared spaces with wildlife. 

14 November 2024

European Goose Management Platform Recognized for Innovation as a Finalist for UNEP’s Kipepeo Award

Pink-footed Goose in flight - one of the focal species of the European Goose Management Platform (EGMP) / Photo: Magnus Elander

The European Goose Management Platform (EGMP) has been shortlisted as one of five finalists in the innovation category for the prestigious Kipepeo Award by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in recognition of its approach to wildlife management.  

11 October 2024

EGM IWG9: Annual Meeting Sets New Goals for Goose Management in Europe

Pink-footed Geese © Magnus Elander

The 9th annual meeting of the European Goose Management International Working Group (EGM IWG9) successfully concluded in Tromsø, Norway on Thursday, 20 June 2024. Hosted by the Norwegian Environment Agency and chaired by Prof. Petter Kjellander from Sweden, the event brought together national government representatives, experts and key stakeholders.

25 July 2024

East Atlantic Flyway Book Highlights Role of CMS and AEWA

Jacques Trouvilliez and Peter Prokosch with the new edition of the book “The East Atlantic Flyway of Coastal Birds: 50 Years of Exciting Moments in Nature Conservation and Research”. (Photo: Florian Keil / UNEP/AEWA Secretariat)

Bonn, 5 April 2024 – The new English edition of the book “The East Atlantic Flyway of Coastal Birds: 50 Years of Exciting Moments in Nature Conservation and Research” was recently presented to the CMS and AEWA Secretariats by Peter Prokosch, the lead author and editor of the book.

05 April 2024

AEWA Technical Committee Convenes to Review Progress in Work Plan Implementation

Common Greenshank © Canva.com

The 19th Meeting of the AEWA Technical Committee (TC19) was successfully held as a virtual event on 12 – 14 March 2024. The three-day meeting brought together a total of 62 participants from across Africa and Eurasia, including regional representatives, experts from a wide spectrum of fields as well as 16 Party Observers and several key implementing partner organizations of the Agreement. 

20 March 2024

Welcome to Melissa Lewis as Species Officer 

Melissa Lewis

The UNEP/AEWA Secretariat is pleased to announce the recruitment of Dr. Melissa Lewis as the Agreement’s new Species Officer. Well-known to many within the AEWA network, Melissa will be responsible for overseeing and guiding AEWA’s framework for species action and management planning.  A national of South Africa, Melissa’s educational and professional background lies predominantly in nature conservation law. She holds both a Bachelor, and Master of Law degree from Rhodes University (South Africa), a Master’s in environmental law from Lewis & Clark Law School (USA), and a PhD in this field from Tilburg University (the Netherlands).  

19 March 2024

Welcome to Bruno Pereira Leles as EGMP Coordinator 

Bruno Pereira Leles

The UNEP/AEWA Secretariat is pleased to announce the recruitment of Dr. Bruno Pereira Leles as the new Coordinator of the European Goose Management Platform (EGMP). As EGMP Coordinator, Bruno will be responsible for supporting the structured decision-making process and coordination mechanism among the EGMP stakeholders aiming to implement sustainable use and management strategies for goose populations in Europe. 

19 March 2024

IN MEMORIAM – In memory of Richard Hearn (1971 -2024)

Richard Hearn

It is with great sadness that the AEWA Secretariat has learned of the untimely death of Richard (Rich) Hearn at the age of 52 following an illness. Rich was a much appreciated and active member of the AEWA Technical Committee, initially as the WWT representative, and then also representing IUCN in his role as Global Chair of the IUCN-SSC Duck Specialist Group. 

28 February 2024

Memorandum of Understanding Signed Between the AEWA Secretariat and ACBK to Bolster Sociable Lapwing Conservation

Sociable Lapwing © Maxim Koshkin

The Secretariat of the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (UNEP/AEWA Secretariat) and the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan (ACBK) renewed their partnership during a side event on the margins of the 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (COP14), which began in Samarkand today.

12 February 2024

World Migratory Bird Day 2024 to Focus on Insects

The theme of World Migratory Bird Day 2024 will focus on migratory birds and insects.

We are excited to announce that for the first time ever, the upcoming World Migratory Bird Day campaign in 2024 will focus on the importance of insects for migratory birds, and highlight concerns related to decreasing populations of insects. Insects are essential sources of energy for many migratory bird species, not only during the breeding seasons but also during their extensive journeys and greatly affect the timing, duration, and overall success of bird migrations.

14 November 2023