As a long-time pillar of the conservation community, Audubon is rising to meet the urgency of this moment through the power of birds because what’s good for birds is good for people and the planet. Building upon decades of accomplishments and a strong scientific backbone, Audubon is focused on delivering tangible outcomes for birds and people at the scale of the challenges we face.
What's good for birds is good for the planet.
Migratory species, particularly birds, epitomize the challenges of biodiversity loss and climate change. Audubon addresses these challenges—which threaten wildlife, ecosystems and human populations—by focusing on birds because their collective health mirrors the health of our planet.
The United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP29, takes place every year. This year’s conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, is expected to focus on climate adaptation funding and emissions reduction commitments. This will be a “working COP” looking ahead to COP30, which will be hosted in Brazil in 2025.
The two pillars of COP29 are “Enhance Ambition” and “Enable Action.” At COP29, Audubon is focused specifically on three main themes that intertwine climate actions and biodiversity actions and support the aims of both, including:
New Partnerships Will Drive Hemispheric Conservation
The United Nations Biodiversity Conference of Parties, or COP16, takes place every two years. The 2024 conference in Cali, Colombia, put greater attention on nature and biodiversity within the larger environmental and climate movement in the buildup to the 30th UN Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP30), which will be hosted in Brazil in 2025. About 200 countries attended and presented their national action plans for meeting the 30x30 conservation commitments made at the previous biodiversity conference in 2022.
The National Audubon Society and our partners took part in several events throughout the conference.
October 24, 11:30a–12:45 p.m., Multi-lateral Development Banks pavilion
Audubon Chief Conservation Officer Marshall Johnson appeared as a panelist in this event hosted by BirdLife International and featuring government representatives of other flyway conservation programs in Asia and Africa.
October 25, 5:00-6:00 p.m., Casa Humboldt
Informal conversation featuring Marci Eggers, Audubon’s Vice President, Latin America and the Caribbean.
October 26, 1:30–3:00 p.m., CI Pavilion
Aurelio Ramos, Managing Director of Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada, participated in a panel with government environmental leaders and representatives from WWF and RedLAC.
October 26, 3:30–4:30 p.m., Nature Positive Pavilion
In Canada, Indigenous-led conservation initiatives are bringing together Indigenous knowledge of landscapes, seascapes, and biodiversity with Western science and technology to create collaborative solutions and a greater understanding of nature. Audubon Vice President for Boreal Conservation Jeff Wells joined representatives from the Seal River Watershed Alliance, Mushkegowuk Council, and Dena Kayeh Institute sharing how their connection to the land is linked to their work on creating Indigenous protected areas (IPCAs) in Canada. Streaming available (program starts at 6:41).
October 29, Biblioteca Departamental
2:00–4:00 p.m.
Marci Eggers, Audubon’s Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean, introduced a panel on “Female Protagonists in the Conservation of Birds.”
4:00–6:00 p.m.
Audubon representatives spoke on a panel: “Bird Conservation Efforts by the Private Sector.”
6:00–7:00 p.m.
Audubon Chief Scientist Chad Wilsey spoke on the organization’s long-term support of bird fairs and bird-based tourism.
October 30, 1:30–2:30 p.m., CAF Pavilion
Audubon Chief Scientist Chad Wilsey joined representatives from BirdLife International, the Inter-American Development Bank (CAF), and the Minister of the Environment in Chile to mark the transition from planning to implementation of the Americas Flyways Initiative, a hemispheric conservation partnership launched at COP16 in Montreal. Streaming available.
October 30, 1:30–3:00 p.m., RedLAC Pavilion
Marci Eggers, Audubon’s Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean, joined other panelists to discuss the Conserva Aves initiative to establish an additional 4.9 million acres of protected lands from Mexico to Chile.
October 31, time TBD, Biblioteca Departamental
Audubon’s Vice President for Boreal Conservation Jeff Wells joined Indigenous partners in an exchange of ideas and experiences.
Chief Executive Officer and Ex Officio Board Director
Chief Conservation Officer
Managing Director, Latin America, Caribbean, and Canada
Vice President and Chief Scientist
Vice President for Conservation
Deputy Chief Conservation Officer
Vice President, Boreal Conservation
Colombia Country Director
Communications Director
Senior Communications Manager, Boreal Conservation
Chief Communications and Marketing Officer
A study by Audubon shows how the most important sites for the conservation of migratory, endemic and globally threatened birds in Colombia overlap 85% with important sites for water regulation.
For the past year, Colombia has developed a strategy to protect its nearly 2,000 birds species. Community-led bird sightings play a key role in achieving this goal and also contribute to the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Mangroves cover an impressive 46,284 square kilometers of the Americas. However, they remain undervalued despite their vital role: This vast mangrove landscape is a privileged habitat for biodiversity and a favored site for thousands of migratory and endemic birds.
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