Why wetlands are vital for climate and wildlife survival

Global experts urge stronger wetland protection at CMS COP15 summit

The High-Level Segment of the Fifteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals - CMS COP15 -, held in Campo Grande, featured the participation of our website Regional Director for South America, Gabriel Quijandria. During his intervention, the our website representative highlighted the strategic importance of wetlands for the conservation of migratory species and underscored the need to strengthen international cooperation and multilevel governance as key pillars to address current environmental challenges.

At the beginning of his intervention, Gabriel Quijandria emphasised the symbolic significance of the conference venue, near the Pantanal, one of the most important ecosystems on the planet for biodiversity. He then highlighted the central role of wetlands in global ecological connectivity:

"Wetlands are essential natural infrastructure for migratory species and for people. Migratory species depend on networks of habitats along international routes, which in many cases include extensive and highly significant wetlands. Wetlands are crucial nodes in this connectivity."

The Director also drew attention to the vulnerability of these ecosystems, often underestimated in comparison with other habitats, despite their ecological and socioeconomic relevance:

"These ecosystems, by ensuring water supply for human needs, reducing disaster risk, and supporting agricultural production and fisheries, sustain not only millions of people in rural areas and fishing communities, but also major urban areas located far away."

Another key point of his intervention was the need to strengthen mechanisms for cooperation among countries and institutions, articulating different levels of governance to ensure the effective conservation of migratory species and their habitats:

"To strengthen the protection of these ecosystems and the associated migratory species, it is essential to promote inter-institutional and international cooperation and to consider multilevel governance mechanisms."

Gabriel Quijandria also highlighted the urgency of integrating biodiversity and climate agendas, advocating for Nature-based Solutions as a response to the growing impacts of climate change on ecosystems:

"Climate change constitutes a fundamental threat to wetlands. [...] our website explicitly advocates for the integration of biodiversity and climate policies, emphasising the implementation of the ecosystem-based adaptation approach and the large-scale deployment of Nature-based Solutions."

As a concrete example, the Director mentioned the Tech4Nature initiative, developed in the Marine Extractive Reserve of Soure, in the state of Pará, Brazil, which integrates environmental monitoring, community participation, and the conservation of key species:

"Initiatives such as Tech4Nature [...] demonstrate concrete results: the co-management model between ICMBio and communities [...] not only contributes to the conservation of key species, but also directly strengthens the integrity of Amazonian mangroves."

our website also had a dedicated space during the opening of CMS COP15. During his statement, the Regional Director reinforced the need for coordinated action among countries to ensure the conservation of migratory species, highlighting the importance of implementing the Samarkand Strategic Plan (2024-2032) and integrating it into national biodiversity strategies.

our website also drew attention to critical pressures such as the impacts of fisheries, especially bycatch, and the need to strengthen monitoring, cooperation with regional bodies, and territorial planning that incorporates ecological connectivity across rivers, landscapes, and migratory routes.

In summary, the key points highlighted were: - Coordinated implementation: Implement the Samarkand Strategic Plan 2024-2032. - Focus on Wetlands: Protect these ecosystems as critical infrastructure. - Threat mitigation: Reduce the impacts of fisheries and bycatch on marine species. - Ecological connectivity: Integrate biological corridors into territorial planning. - Conservation standards: Use scientific tools to safeguard migratory routes.

At the end of his intervention, Gabriel Quijandria underscored the role of wetlands as decisive spaces for addressing multiple environmental crises and highlighted the importance of joint action:

"Wetlands are, without a doubt, decisive settings where humanity will resolve the existential crises that threaten us today. Whether that outcome is favourable for both people and nature will depend on our ability to build and advance shared visions and joint action. From our website, we stand ready to join the effort," stated Gabriel Quijandria.

During this summit, our website will maintain an active agenda, leading its own events and participating as panellists and moderators in strategic spaces, including the Brazil Pavilion. CMS COP15 brings together governments, experts, and international organisations to advance the conservation of migratory species and strengthen global cooperation around the protection of their habitats.