Agreement on the Conservation of Gorillas and Their Habitats Accord sur la conservation des gorilles et de leurs habitats | |
---|---|
Context | Nature conservation |
Signed | 26 October 2007 |
Location | Bonn, Germany |
Effective | 1 June 2008 |
Ratifiers | |
Languages | English and French |
The Agreement on the Conservation of Gorillas and Their Habitats, also known as the Gorilla Agreement (French: Accord Gorille), is a multilateral environmental agreement that binds the parties to conserve gorillas in their territories. It was concluded 2007 under the auspices of the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), also known as the "Bonn Convention", with scientific support from the Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Sciences and GRASP. The Gorilla Agreement covers 10 range states (Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Nigeria, Rwanda and Uganda) and entered into force in June 2008.
To implement the decision of the conference of the parties of CMS to list the gorilla on Appendix I of the convention and taking into consideration the unfavourable conservation status and the conviction that the gorilla would significantly benefit from international cooperation that could be achieved by a multilateral agreement, an Article IV Agreement was concluded in 2007. [1] The text of this legally binding agreement was negotiated on a meeting in Paris between 22 and 26 October 2007, under the auspices of CMS and attended by nine of the ten gorilla range states. The final act was signed on 24 October 2007 and entered into force on 1 June 2008, after ratification by three range states. As of August 2012, the Gorilla Agreement has six parties.
Signatures without reservation:
The overall aim of the Gorilla Agreement is to provide a framework for the conservation of gorillas and their habitats and to establish the legal structure necessary to make all the initiatives durable and to integrate conservation actions in collaboration with the ten range states. This should be reached by conserving and restoring the highly threatened gorilla populations in Central and West Africa through an action plan, covering education, research and forest protection.
All taxa of gorillas are covered by the Agreement:
In the preamble the parties refer to the listing of all taxa of gorillas on Appendix I of the CMS due to their unfavourable conservation status. They note the exceptional significance of great apes for the natural and cultural heritage of humankind and emphasize that gorillas could significantly benefit from international cooperation through a multilateral environmental agreement. To achieve effective implementation of such an agreement, the parties acknowledge assistance must be provided to some range states for research, training and monitoring of gorillas and their habitats and for the management of those habitats.
The agreement contains seventeen articles; however the most important is Article III, which contains the general conservation measures. The parties to the Gorilla Agreement shall: [2]
The annex indicates the geographical scope of the Gorilla Agreement, namely all range states of all species and sub-species of gorillas. These are: Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Nigeria, Rwanda and Uganda.
The Meeting of the Parties (MoP) is the highest decision-making body of the agreement and adopts resolutions. Ordinary sessions of the MoP take place at least every three years, unless the MoP decides otherwise. Where it is possible to do so, the sessions should be held in conjunction with the ordinary meetings of the conference of the parties to CMS. On the written request of at least one third of the parties, an extraordinary session shall be convened. Only parties have the right to vote and each party has only one vote. Decisions of the MoP are usually adopted by consensus, or if consensus cannot be achieved, by a two-thirds majority of the parties present and voting.
At each of its ordinary session, the MoP has the following responsibilities and duties:
At any of its sessions, the MoP may also:
The First MoP took place in Rome, Italy, on 29 November 2008. [3] During the First MoP four action plans were adopted (one for each sub-species of gorilla); an annual contribution of €3000 was also agreed (however, up until today, only the contribution of Rwanda has been received). Finally, two resolutions were adopted, one on the monitoring and reporting and one on the establishment of the Technical Committee. The parties represented at the meeting were Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Nigeria and non-party range states Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Uganda.
The Second MoP was held in Bergen, Norway, 26–27 November 2011. [4] During the Second MoP four resolutions were adopted on the following matters: cooperation and information sharing improved wildlife law enforcement; financial matters; institutional arrangements for the agreement and elements of information management for gorilla conservation. [5] The parties represented were Congo, Gabon and Nigeria and non-party range states Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Uganda. All ten range states planned to attend the meeting, but representatives of Angola, Central African Republic, DRC and Rwanda were not able to obtain visas in time.
The Technical Committee was established at the First MoP on 29 November 2008 and has the following members: [6]
The Technical Committee would normally convene once between regular triennial MoP. The committee can work by correspondence between formal meetings. The main task of the Technical Committee is to provide scientific and technical advice and information to the MoP and the parties and make recommendations concerning the action plan, implementation of the agreement and further research to be carried out. In addition, in the event of an emergency affecting the conservation status of one or more gorilla taxa, the committee can call for steps to be taken to reduce this threat.
The First meeting of the Technical Committee took place in Kigali, Rwanda, 29–30 March 2011.
The secretariat is the executive body of the agreement. The CMS Secretariat is acting as the Interim Secretariat to the Gorilla Agreement, as agreed at the 32nd CMS Standing Committee in November 2007. Bradnee Chambers serves in his capacity as executive secretary of CMS as the acting executive secretary of the Gorilla Agreement since March 2013. The establishment of an independent secretariat, as mentioned in Article VII of the agreement, depends on financing. It was decided on the 2nd MoP in 2011 that the interim secretariat shall investigate the possibility of a party or an organization/institution - such as UNEP or GRASP - hosting the permanent secretariat. [7]
The main tasks of the secretariat are the following:
Article VIII of the Gorilla Agreement states that the parties shall adopt action plans for all species and sub-species of gorillas. These plans specify the actions that will be undertaken consistent with the general conservation measures specified in Article III. At each ordinary session of the MoP the action plans will be reviewed and can be amended. Four action plans (one for each of the sub-species) were adopted at the first MoP in 2008. They were drafted by the Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Sciences and were based on existing plans from the IUCN/SSC. The plans contain a list of most important sites; reveal the main threats and identify priority actions needed per country. [8]
Such actions can include:
At the 2nd MoP in 2011 the parties had the duty to review the action plans. However, the IUCN and others have the intention to update the current plans for the four subspecies. Therefore, the parties decided, on the proposal of the interim secretariat, to take part in these processes and the updated action plans may be adopted by the next MoP. [9]
The mountain gorilla is one of the two subspecies of the eastern gorilla. It is listed as endangered by the IUCN as of 2018.
The eastern gorilla is a critically endangered species of the genus Gorilla and the largest living primate. At present, the species is subdivided into two subspecies. There are 6,800 eastern lowland gorillas or Grauer's gorillas and 1,000 mountain gorillas. Illegal hunting threatens the species.
The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, also known as the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) or the Bonn Convention, is an international agreement that aims to conserve migratory species throughout their ranges. The agreement was signed under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme and is concerned with conservation of wildlife and habitats on a global scale.
Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas, often abbreviated to ASCOBANS, is a regional agreement on the protection of small cetaceans that was concluded as the Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic and North Seas under the auspices of the UNEP Convention on Migratory Species, or Bonn Convention, in September 1991 and came into force in March 1994. In February 2008, an extension of the agreement area came into force which changed the name to “Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas”. ASCOBANS covers all species of toothed whales (Odontoceti) in the Agreement Area, with the exception of the sperm whale.
The south Andean deer, also known as the southern guemal, south Andean huemul, southern huemul, or Chilean huemul or güemul, is an endangered species of deer native to the mountains of Argentina and Chile. Along with the northern guemal or taruca, it is one of the two mid-sized deer in the Hippocamelus genus and ranges across the high mountainsides and cold valleys of the Andes. The distribution and habitat, behaviour, and diet of the deer have all been the subject of study. The viability of the small remaining population is an outstanding concern to researchers.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) concerning Conservation Measures for Marine Turtles of the Atlantic Coast of Africa is a 1998 multilateral environmental memorandum of understanding that entered into effect on 1 July 1999 under the auspices of the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), also known as the Bonn Convention. The MoU focuses on the protection of six marine turtle species that are estimated to have rapidly declined in numbers along the Atlantic Coast of Africa. The MoU covers 26 range States. As of May 2013, 23 range States have signed the MoU.
The Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Sharks is an international instrument for the conservation of migratory species of sharks. It was founded under the auspices of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Concerning Conservation, Restoration and Sustainable Use of the Saiga Antelope is a Multilateral Environmental Memorandum of Understanding and came into effect on 24 September 2006 under the auspices of the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), also known as the Bonn Convention. The MoU covers five range States, all of which have signed. A number of cooperating organizations have also signed the MoU.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) concerning Conservation and Restoration of the Bukhara Deer is a Multilateral Environmental Memorandum of Understanding and was concluded in 2002 under the auspices of the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), also known as the Bonn Convention, in collaboration with the Central Asia Programme of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The MoU covers five range States. As of August 2012, four of them had signed the MoU, as well as a number of cooperating organizations. The MoU came into effect on 16 May 2002.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the Conservation of Cetaceans and their Habitats in the Pacific Island Region is a Multilateral Environmental Memorandum of Understanding concluded under the auspices of the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), also known as the Bonn Convention, and in collaboration with the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP). The MoU provides an international framework for coordinated conservation efforts to improve the conservation status of the Pacific Islands Cetaceans and came into effect on 15 September 2006.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Concerning Conservation Measures for the Siberian Crane is a Multilateral Environmental Memorandum of Understanding and came into effect on 1 July 1993 and was amended in January 1999. It was the first MoU to be concluded under the auspices of the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), also known as the Bonn Convention, and focuses on conserving the Siberian crane as one of the three rarest crane species. The MoU covers twelve range states. As of August 2012, eleven range states have signed the MoU.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) concerning Conservation Measures for the West African Populations of the African Elephant is a Multilateral Environmental Memorandum of Understanding and was launched under the auspices of the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), also known as the Bonn Convention, on 22 November 2005, in close cooperation with the African Elephant Specialist Group (AfESG) of the IUCN Species Survival Commission (IUCN/SSC). The MoU covers thirteen range States, all of which have signed the MoU.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Concerning the Conservation of the Manatee and Small Cetaceans of Western Africa and Macaronesia is a Multilateral Environmental Memorandum of Understanding and entered into effect on 3 October 2008 under the auspices of the Bonn Convention. The MoU covers 29 range States. As of August 2012, 17 range States have signed the MoU, as well as a number of cooperating organizations.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Conservation and Management of Middle-European Populations of the Great Bustard is a multilateral environmental memorandum of understanding and was concluded in 2000 under the auspices of the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), also known as the Bonn Convention, and came into effect on 1 June 2001. It aims to protect the Middle-European populations of the great bustard and to manage modern agriculture throughout its range in Central Europe in order to save the remaining individuals. The MoU covers 17 range states. As of August 2012, 13 range states have signed the MoU as well as a number of cooperating organizations.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Conservation of High Andean Flamingos and their Habitats is a multilateral environmental memorandum of understanding that was concluded under the auspices of the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), also known as the Bonn Convention. The MoU came into effect on 4 December 2008 and provides protection for the populations of high Andean flamingos, which have been subject to drastic reduction and fragmentation of their habitats and have a delicate state of conservation. The MoU covers four range states. As of August 2012, three range states have signed the MoU.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) concerning Conservation Measures for the Aquatic Warbler is a multilateral environmental memorandum of understanding concluded in 2003 under the auspices of the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), also known as the Bonn Convention. This MoU provides the basis for governments, NGO's and scientists to work together to save the aquatic warbler, Europe's rarest songbird. The MoU covers 22 range states. By August 2012, 16 range states and two cooperating organizations had signed the MoU.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Conservation of Southern South American Migratory Grassland Bird Species and Their Habitats is a Multilateral Environmental Memorandum of Understanding concluded under the auspices of the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), also known as the Bonn Convention and became effective on 26 August 2007. Under the “umbrella” of the CMS, the governments of Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay agreed to work together towards better conservation of migratory species of grassland birds of Southern South America. The MoU covers five range States, all of which have signed.
The Memorandum of Understanding concerning Conservation Measures for the Eastern Atlantic Populations of the Mediterranean Monk Seal is a multilateral environmental memorandum of understanding (MoU) and entered into effect on 18 October 2007, under the auspices of the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), also known as the Bonn Convention. It focuses on the protection of the eastern Atlantic populations of the Mediterranean monk seal. The MoU covers four range states, all of which have signed.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) concerning Conservation Measures for the Ruddy-headed Goose is a Bilateral Environmental Memorandum of Understanding between Argentina and Chile and was concluded under the auspices of the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), also known as the Bonn Convention. The MoU was concluded as part of the Special Protocol on the Conservation of Wild Fauna and Flora, signed by Argentina and Chile in 2002, and entered into effect on 21 November 2006. It focuses on the protection of the mainland population of the ruddy-headed goose. The MoU is exclusively South American and covers two range States, both of which have signed.
The Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia is an international, legally non-binding agreement to protect migratory birds of prey.