Author: Neel Achary

Campo Grande, Brazil, March 24 — The 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) opens here on Monday March 23 as a new reports reveals that almost half (49%) of all CMS-listed species have decreasing population trends, and nearly one in four are global threatened with extinction. Launched days before the summit, the State of the World’s Migratory Species: Interim Report (2026) paints a stark picture of animals under pressure from a combination of overexploitation and habitat destruction, as well as pollution, climate change and invasive species.

Over participants are expected, including delegates from among the 133 countries that are Parties to the treaty, scientists, indigenous peoples and local communities, and conservation organizations. The meeting is taking place at the gateway to the Pantanal – the Earth’s largest tropical wetland, increasingly under threat from drought, wildfire and land-use change.

“It is a great honor for Brazil to host COP15. Holding this event in Campo Grande, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, is a strategic choice. We are at the gateway to the Pantanal—the world’s largest tropical wetland. This region uniquely symbolizes the natural wealth of South America and the interdependence among countries whose fauna and flora cross borders. The Convention on Migratory Species reminds us of a simple yet powerful message: migration is natural,” said President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil.

The stakes could not be higher

The UN wildlife conservation meeting carries particular resonance in Brazil, home to more biodiversity than any nation on Earth. On Sunday, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil convened a High-Level Segment with President Santiago Peña Palacios of Paraguay, minister of foreign affairs of Bolivia, leadership of the United Nations Environment Programme, and the heads of the world’s major biodiversity environmental agreements — the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), CITES, and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands among them — signaling that migratory species have moved firmly onto the political agenda as part of global efforts to tackle biodiversity loss.

“Paraguay is convinced that protecting migratory species is not only an environmental task but also a development one. Ensuring the stability of natural systems guarantees the stability of our people, acknowledging the human right to a healthy and productive life in harmony with nature,” said President Santiago Peña of Paraguay.

“The conservation of migratory species challenges humanity’s ability to cooperate in the face of a simple fact: life on Earth is interdependent. At this moment in history, this is not merely a scientific observation — it is an ethical and political imperative that demands responses commensurate with the multiple crises we face: climate, ecological, and global governance,” said Marina Silva, Brazil’s Minister of the Environment and Climate Change.

“The theme of COP15, ‘Connecting Nature to Sustain Life,’ has never been more important. Migratory animals — from elephants, big cats, raptors, freshwater fish, sea turtles, whales, waterbirds, and even butterflies — are not just wildlife spectacles. They are the planet’s circulatory system, driving pollination, seed dispersal, carbon storage, pest control and nutrient cycling across entire continents. When their corridors break down, ecosystems follow,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme.

What’s on the table

Across more than 100 agenda items, negotiators will grapple with threats that mirror the full breadth of the impacts of human activities on nature: illegal and unsustainable hunting or capturing of species, bycatch, habitat destruction and fragmentation, deep-sea mining, light, noise and chemical pollution, impacts from infrastructure, and the accelerating disruption of climate change.

Negotiators will consider proposals to include 42 additional species under the treaty, including iconic animals such as the snowy owl, the great hammerhead shark and the striped hyena.

“COP15 in Brazil – the world’s most biodiverse country – represents a significant milestone for advancing international collaboration on the conservation of migratory species and more broadly on reversing biodiversity loss. The 2024 State of the World’s Migratory Species report and the 2026 Interim Report provide invaluable information on the conservation status of migratory species, the major threats, and the actions needed to address such threats. The main drivers of declines remain unchanged – habitat loss, overexploitation, climate change, and pollution. We know what needs to be done, and Parties here in Campo Grande have the opportunity to adopt measures to ensure the long-term survival of migratory wildlife and healthy ecosystems for future generations,” said Amy Fraenkel, CMS Executive Secretary.

What happens next

Plenary and working group negotiations run through the week. Listing proposals, concerted actions, resolutions and decisions, which will shape conservation policy and species protections for years to come, will be considered for adoption on Sunday, 29 March 2026.

Throughout the week, special events will include the unveiling of a major scientific study on migratory freshwater fish (Global Assessment of Migratory Freshwater Fishes), and the introduction of the Americas Flyways Atlas, a groundbreaking new online platform developed by CMS and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology highlighting vital corridors and stopover sites for migratory birds.

A new CMS effort to address the serious threat of illegal and unsustainable taking – the Global Initiative on Taking of Migratory Species (GTI) will also be launched at COP15 to help governments, experts and local communities to ensure that any taking of migratory species is legal, sustainable and safe – and achieve their commitment under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The Initiative focuses on domestic use, which may pose a significantly greater risk than international trade.

On the evening of 23 March, the Migratory Species Champion Night will recognize CMS Parties for outstanding contributions to protecting wildlife on the move.

At a glance: CMS and COP15

The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the governing body of CMS, which meets every 3 years to review progress, add new species under the Treaty, and strengthen actions to address conservation needs as well as continuing or emerging threats. Strong science underpins the COP’s agenda, ensuring that policy discussions reflect the best available evidence on threats, population trends and effective response measures.

• Venue: Bosque Expo, Campo Grande, Brazil (bosquedosipes.com/bosque-expo)
• Dates: Monday 23 March to Sunday 29 March 2026
• (Time zone: AMT – Amazon Standard Time UTC/GMT-4 hours)
• COP15 media accreditation: https://bit.ly/cms-cop15-media-registration
• COP15 media briefing (Thurs. 5 March): recording at https://bit.ly/3MSEhf6
• COP15 primer: Key issues and events — what’s on the table, what to expect: https://conta.cc/4aK8t3K

COP15 opening press conference

Monday, March 23, 2026, at the COP15 venue in Campo Grande. Scheduled for 1:45 pm AMT / 5:45 pm GMT,

The event will be livestreamed via the CMS Youtube Channel COP15 Playlist and will feature the presentation of the State of the World’s Migratory Species: Interim Report 2026.

Key speakers include

• Minister of Environment and Climate Change Marina Silva of Brazil;
• João Paulo Capobianco, Chair of COP15 and Executive Secretary, Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (Brazil);
• Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Assistant UN Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director, UN Environment Programme;
• Amy Fraenkel, Executive Secretary, Convention on Migratory Species;
• Kelly Malsch, Head of Nature Conserved, UNEP-WCMC, and lead author of the State of the World’s Migratory Species: Interim Report (2026).

The press conference will provide an overview of the week’s agenda, major scientific findings, and anticipated negotiations and outcomes.