CMS partners include the secretariats of biodiversity-related Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), other inter-governmental bodies, non-governmental organizations and the private sector, that work with CMS. They play an instrumental role in the implementation of CMS and its related instruments and initiatives, and help the Secretariat to reach a wide audience and raise public awareness of the importance of conserving migratory species on a global scale.
CMS has also developed a code of conduct governing its relationships with the private sector. The code can be found here.
List of Partners
Below we have alphabetically listed the organizations with which CMS collaborates either in the development of conservation policy or on specific projects and fieldwork through formal partnership agreements. CMS also cooperates with a number of other organizations outside the framework of formal agreements, some of whom are listed here.
To find out more about any of these collaborating organizations, click on their initials, acronym or short name. The information provided includes a link to each organization’s own website.
AMMPA - Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums
Bern Convention - Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats
Born Free Foundation
BLI - BirdLife International
CAFF - Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna
Cartagena - Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment in the Wider Caribbean Region
CBCFDG - China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation
CBD - Convention on Biological Diversity
CIC - International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation
CITES - Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
CPW - Collaborative Partnership on Sustainable Wildlife Management
EAAFP - East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership
FZS - Frankfurt Zoological Society
GBIF - the Global Biodviersity Information Facility
GNF - Global Nature Fund
HSI - the Humane Society International
HSI -Australia - the Humane Society International - Australia
ICF - International Crane Foundation
IFAW - International Fund for Animal Welfare
IPBES Secretariat - The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
ITTO - International Tropical Timber Organization
IUCN - International Union for Conservation of Nature
IUCN - ELC - International Union for Conservation of Nature - Environmental Law Centre
IWC - International Whaling Commission
NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
OceanCare - for the protection of marine flora and fauna
Ramsar - Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat
SCF - Sahara Conservation Fund
SPREP - Pacific Regional Environment Programme
TUI AG - TUI Aktiengesellschaft
UNCCD - United Nations Convention on Combating Desertification
UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
WAZA - World Association of Zoos and Aquariums
WCS - Wildlife Conservation Society
WDC - Whale and Dolphin Conservation
WI - Wetlands International
WHMSI - Western Hemisphere Migratory Species Initiative
Wild Migration - Migratory Wildlife Network
To access the organizations' own websites, click on the web address. CMS is not responsible for the content of external websites.
AMMPA - www.ammpa.org
The Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums is an international association representing marine life parks, aquariums, zoos, research facilities and professional organizations dedicated to the highest standards of care for marine mammals and to their conservation in the wild through public education, scientific study and wildlife presentations.
Bern Convention - link to website
The Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats - the Bern Convention - is a binding international legal instrument in the field of nature conservation, which covers the natural heritage of the European continent and extends to some states of Africa. It aims to conserve wild flora and fauna and their natural habitats, especially those species and habitats whose conservation requires the co-operation of several States, and to promote such co-operation. It was adopted on September 1979 and came into force on 1 June 1982.
Born Free Foundation - link to website
Born Free Foundation is an international wildlife charity working throughout the world to stop individual wild animal suffering and protect threatened species in the wild, through policy formulation, field conservation, rescue and care, and education programmes.
BLI www.birdlife.org
BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources. BirdLife Partners operate in over one hundred countries and territories worldwide and collaborate on regional work programmes in every continent.
CAFF www.caff.is
The Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) program is the biodiversity working group of the Arctic Council. It addresses the conservation of Arctic biodiversity, and communicates its findings to the governments and residents of the Arctic, helping to promote practices which ensure the sustainability of the Arctic’s living resources. CAFF’s projects provide data for informed decision making on biodiversity issues.
Cartagena www.cep.unep.org
The Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment in the Wider Caribbean Region was adopted in Cartagena, Colombia on 24 March 1983 and entered into force on 11 October 1986, for the legal implementation of the Action Plan for the Caribbean Environment Programme. It promotes regional cooperation for the protection and sustainable development of the marine environment of the wider Caribbean region.
CBCGDF www.cbcgdf.org/English/
The China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation is a not-for-profit national organization working to conserve biodiversity, protect all animals and their habitats, including wildlife, by providing support and advice on policy development and trade issues and promoting local empowerment and community education, as well as by Environmental Public Interest Litigation (EPIL).
CBD www.cbd.int
The Convention on Biological Diversity is an international treaty with three main goals: conservation of biological diversity (or biodiversity); sustainable use of its components; and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources. Its objective is to develop national strategies for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. The Convention was opened for signature at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro on 5 June 1992 and entered into force on 29 December 1993. CMS is recognized as CBD's lead partner on matters relating to the conservation and sustainable use of migratory species.
The International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation is a politically independent advisory body internationally active on a non-profit basis. It promotes sustainable hunting through knowledge sharing and networks to benefit people and conserve nature. The acronym CIC comes from the organization’s French name Conseil International de la Chasse et de la Conservation du Gibier.
CITES www.cites.org
CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an international agreement between governments. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. Because the trade in wild animals and plants crosses borders between countries, the effort to regulate it requires international cooperation to safeguard certain species from over-exploitation. Today, it accords varying degrees of protection to more than 30,000 species of animals and plants, whether they are traded as live specimens, fur coats, dried herbs or other. The text of the Convention was agreed on 3 March 1973, and on 1 July 1975 CITES entered in force.
CPW - Collaborative Partnership on Sustainable Wildlife Management
Collaborative Partnership on Sustainable Wildlife Management (CPW) is a voluntary partnership of 14 international organizations with substantive mandates and programmes to promote the sustainable use and conservation of wildlife resources.
EAAFP - East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership www.eaaflyway.net
Launched in November 2006, the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP) is an informal and voluntary initiative, aimed at protecting migratory waterbirds, their habitat and the livelihoods of people dependent upon them. The EAAFP provides a framework for international cooperation, including: (1) development of a Flyway Site Network (for sites of international importance to migratory waterbirds), (2) collaborative activities to increase knowledge and raise awareness of migratory waterbirds along the flyway, and (3) building capacity for the sustainable management and conservation of migratory waterbird habitat along the flyway.
FZS - Frankurt Zoological Society www.zgf.de
The Frankfurt Zoological Society was established in 1858 with the aim of establishing a zoo. Now it is also an internationally operating conservation organization committed to conserving biological diversity. It aims to protect and preserve endangered environments and animals the world over.
GBIF - www.gbif.org
The Global Biodiversity Information Facility enables free and open access to biodiversity data online. It is an international government-initiated and funded initiative focused on making biodiversity data available to all and anyone, for scientific research, conservation and sustainable development.
The Global Nature Fund (GNF) is an NGO which was founded in early 1998 for the protection of nature and environment (chiefly lakes, wetlands and freshwater) as well as animals. Its support includes initiating and carrying nature/environment protection projects to preserve the fauna, protect migratory species, their habitats and their migration routes.
HSI - the Humane Society Interntaional www.hsi.org
The Human Society International is a non-for profit organization working to protect all animals—including wildlife—through fieldwork, policy formation, human education, direct care and services and funding of in-country partners.
HSI - Australia - the Humane Society Interntaional - Australia www.hsi.org.au
The Humane Society International is an international organization working to protect all animals, including wildlife, by providing support and advice on policy development and trade issues and promoting local empowerment and community education. It was founded in 1991.
ICF - International Crane Foundation www.savingcranes.org
The International Crane Foundation is an NGO, founded in 1973 to conserve cranes and the wetland and grassland ecosystems on which they depend, ICF has been one of CMS’s main partner in the MOU concerning conservation measures for Siberian Crane since the MOU was concluded in 1993.
IFAW – the International Fund for Animal Welfare www.ifaw.org
The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is one of the largest animal welfare and conservation charities in the world. Founded in 1969, IFAW saves animals in crisis around the world. Its vision is "a world where animals are respected and protected.” IFAW cares for individual animals as well as for biodiversity as a whole and delivers effective solutions for the long‐term protection of animal populations and habitats by addressing animal welfare concerns in policy, legislation and society. IFAW has local expertise and leadership in field offices worldwide. The organization is sensitive to needs of local communities and works for solutions that benefit both animals and people.
IPBES – www.ipbes.net
The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) is an independent intergovernmental body, established by member States in 2012. It provides policymakers with objective scientific assessments about the state of knowledge regarding the planet’s biodiversity, ecosystems and the benefits they provide to people, as well as the tools and methods to protect and sustainably use these vital natural assets.
ITTO - www.itto.int
The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) is an intergovernmental organization promoting the conservation and sustainable management, use and trade of tropical forest resources. The ITTO was established under the auspices of the United Nations in 1986 amidst increasing worldwide concern for the fate of tropical forests. ITTO’s role is to reconcile the seemingly disparate aims of reducing the alarming rate of deforestation occurring in many tropical countries while allowing those same countries to engage in tropical timber trade as a means of achieving economic development.
IUCN - International Union for the Conservation of Nature www.iucn.org
Founded in 1948 the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) aims to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable. The IUCN Protected Areas Programme tries to guide and enhance the development of adequate regional approaches and models for effective protected area management, with a focus on community participation and involvement at all levels.
IUCN-ELC - IUCN Environmental Law Centre - link to website
The IUCN/ELC is a leading global centre of excellence in environmental law. The Centre houses two extensive libraries, on Legislation, Treaties and Case Law, and Literature and Soft Law. The ELC is a part of the rich network of environmental law expertise that comprises the IUCN Environmental Law Programme (ELP) and it works in collaboration with the whole of the IUCN family, together with many other partners from across the globe, in advancing environmental law. It was established back in 1970.
IWC - www.iwcoffice.org
The International Whaling Commission (IWC) was set up under the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling which was signed in Washington DC on 2nd December 1946. The purpose of the Convention is to provide for the conservation of whale stocks and thus make possible the orderly development of the whaling industry. IWC, among other things, also protects certain species; designates whale sanctuaries; sets limits on whale takes; prescribes seasons for whaling; compiles catch reports; and funds whale research..
NOAA www.noaa.gov
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a US federal agency set up under the Department of Commerce focused on the condition of the oceans and the atmosphere. NOAA dates back to 1807, when the USA’s first scientific agency, the Survey of the Coast, was established. Since then, NOAA has evolved to become one of the leading scientific and environmental authorities internationally. NOAA’s responsibilities include understanding and predicting changes in Earth’s environment and conserving and managing coastal and marine resources to meet the United States’ economic, social and environmental needs.
OceanCare www.oceancare.org
OceanCare is an international, non-governmental, non-profit research, advocacy and education organisation that works for the protection of marine flora and fauna.
Ramsar www.ramsar.org
The Ramsar Convention provides a framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. The Convention covers all aspects of wetlands conservation and wise use, recognising wetlands as ecosystems that are extremely important for biodiversity conservation in general and the well-being of human communities.
SCF www.saharaconservation.org
The Sahara Conservation Fund is an international non-governmental organization established in 2004 to conserve the wildlife of the Sahara and bordering Sahelian grasslands. SCF’s vision is of a Sahara that is well conserved and managed, in which ecological processes function naturally, with plants and animals existing in healthy numbers across their historical range; a Sahara that benefits all its inhabitants and users and where support for its conservation comes from stakeholders across all sectors of society. To implement its mission, SCF forges partnerships between people, governments, the world zoo and scientific communities, international conventions, NGOs and donor agencies.
SPREP www.sprep.org
The Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) is a regional organization established by the governments and administrations of the Pacific region to look after its environment. It has grown from a small programme attached to the South Pacific Commission (SPC) in the 1980s into the Pacific region’s major intergovernmental organization charged with protecting and managing the environment and natural resources. SPREP’s mandate is to promote cooperation in the Pacific Islands region and to provide assistance in order to protect and improve the environment and to ensure sustainable development for present and future generations.
TUI - TUI Aktiengesellschaft www.tui-group.com/en/company
TUI AG is a multinational travel and tourism company. TUI has supported the United Nations biodiversity campaigns in order to sensitize customers, employees, contracting partners and the local population at its headquarters and other offices to the responsible handling of flora and fauna. Every year, TUI launches various activities to support environmental and animal protection programmes.
UNCCD www.unccd.int
The United Nations Convention on Combating Desertification was adopted in Paris in 1994 and entered into force in 1996. UNCCD works to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought. National Action Programmes (NAPs) address productivity of land, rehabilitating, conserving and sustainably managing land and water resources, leading to improved living conditions.
UNESCO www.unesco.org
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was founded in 1945. This specialized United Nations agency aims to combine education, social and natural science, culture and communication as the means to promote peace internationally. Global priorities are Africa and Gender equality The UNESCO World Heritage Convention aims to preserve cultural and natural heritage of outstanding value. The UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme sets a scientific basis for the improvement of the relationships between people and their environment globally.
WAZA www.waza.org
The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums is the "umbrella" organization for the world zoo and aquarium community. From its beginnings in 1935 as the International Union of Directors of Zoological Gardens (IUDZG), the association was named WAZA in 2000. WAZA works in the areas of conservation and survival of species, and promoting the interests of wildlife conservation, biodiversity and animal welfare. Its Conservation Strategy involves in-situ conservation projects in all parts of the world.
WCS www.wcs.org
The Wildlife Conservation Society is a US-based NGO that endeavors to save wildlife and wild lands though careful use of science, conservation action, education and the management of the world’s largest system of urban wildlife parks (e.g. Bronx Zoo).
WDC www.wdcs.org
Whale and Dolphin Conservation was established in 1987. It is a charity dedicated to reduce, and ultimately, eliminate the continuing threats to cetaceans and their habitats and to raise awareness of cetaceans and educate people about the need to address the continuing threats to their welfare and survival
Wetlands International www.wetlands.org
Wetlands International is a global NGO dedicated to the conservation and restoration of wetlands to benefit biodiversity and human well-being. Wetlands International is an independent, not-for-profit, global organization, supported by Government membership from all continents of the world, extensive specialist networks and volunteers.
WHMSI www.fws.gov/international/dic/WHMSI/whmsi_eng.html
The Western Hemisphere Migratory Species Initiative (WHMSI) seeks to contribute significantly to the conservation of the migratory species of the Western Hemisphere by strengthening cooperation and awareness among nations, international conventions and civil society, and by expanding constituencies and political support. Objectives include to promote the adoption of best management practices; mitigate primary threats; restore populations of threatened species; facilitate the generation of key information; produce a catalogue of areas of importance for migratory species; and communicate and raise awareness of the ecological, economic and cultural importance of migratory species.
Wild Migration - the Migratory Wildlife Network www.wildmigration.org
The Migratory Wildlife Network fosters and supports a collaborative civil society partnership of NGOs, wildlife scientists and wildlife policy experts to coordinate and progress migratory wildlife conservation through international processes, and in particular to progress policy and conservation through CMS and its daughter agreements. It was founded in 2011.