The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) will hold its 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) in Campo Grande, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, from 23 to 29 March 2026.

CMS is a United Nations environmental treaty that brings together governments and conservation partners to address the conservation of migratory species and their habitats throughout their migration routes. The Convention is legally binding and includes two main appendices:

Appendix I: Covers migratory species threatened with extinction and requires strict protection measures by Parties.

Appendix II: Covers migratory species that require international cooperation for their conservation and sustainable management.

This conference is one of the most important global forums dedicated to the protection of migratory terrestrial and marine species, including mammals, birds, fish, and other marine organisms. During COP15, Parties will consider proposals to list 42 new migratory species under the Convention’s Appendices, in addition to one proposal to remove a species that has numerically recovered thanks to long-term conservation efforts.

Proposed Migratory Birds for Listing

Among the proposed species are several migratory birds submitted by different countries, including:

1. Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus): Proposed for listing in Appendix II – submitted by Norway.
2. Gadfly petrels (26 species from the genera Pterodroma and Pseudobulweria): 9species proposed for Appendix I and 17 species for Appendix II – submitted by Australia, Brazil, Chile, Cook Islands, Dominican Republic, Fiji, and New Zealand.
3. Flesh-footed Shearwater (Ardenna carneipes): Proposed for listing in Appendix II – submitted by Australia, France, and New Zealand.
4. Hudsonian Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus hudsonicus): Proposed for listing in Appendix I – submitted by Brazil and Chile.
5. Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica): Proposed for listing in Appendix I – submitted by Brazil and Chile.
6. Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes): Proposed for listing in Appendix I – submitted by Uruguay.
7. Iberá Seedeater (Sporophila iberaensis): Proposed for listing in Appendix II – submitted by Argentina and Brazil.

Conference Objectives

COP15 aims to strengthen coordinated international action to address the growing threats facing migratory species, particularly:

• Habitat loss and fragmentation
• Unsustainable exploitation
• Climate change
• Pollution

Libya is a Party to the Convention, making the outcomes of COP15 directly relevant to its national conservation efforts ,to protect biodiversity and migratory species.