BIRDS AND
BIODIVERSITYTARGETS
What do birds tell us about progress to the Aichi Targets
and requirements for the post-2020 biodiversity framework?

A STATE OF THE WORLD’S BIRDS REPORTCONTENTS
Executive summary3

Forewords		

4

The wider context for a focus on birds and biodiversity targets

6

Introduction		

7

WHAT BIRDSTELL USFor key to progressscores, see p.7

Strategic Goal A

8Target 1 –Raising awareness of the value of biodiversity

10

Target 2 –Mainstreaming biodiversity values

12

Target 3 –Reforming incentives

14

Target 4 –Achieving sustainable production and consumption

16

Strategic Goal B

18

Target 5 –Reducing habitat loss and degradation

20

Target 6 –Sustainable fisheries

22

Target 7 –Ensuring sustainable agriculture, aquaculture and forestry

24

Target 8 –Reducing pollution

26

Target 9 –Tackling invasive species

28

Target 10 – Minimizing pressures on coral reefs and other vulnerable
ecosystems impacted by climate change		30

Strategic Goal C

32

Target 11 – Protecting and conserving biodiversity

34

Target 12 – Preventing extinctions

36

Target 13 – Maintaining genetic diversity in crops, livestock andwild relatives

38

Strategic Goal D

40

Target 14 – Safeguarding and restoring ecosystems that provide
essential services

42

Target 15 -Enhancing ecosystem resilience and the contribution of
biodiversity to carbon stocks

44

Strategic Goal E

46

Target 18 – Traditional knowledge

48

Target 19 – Improving and sharing knowledge of biodiversity

50

Target 20 – Mobilising resources for implementing the CBD

52

Key implications for the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework

54

Indicators for measuring progress		

58

Targets are important, but implementation is key

60

References		

62

2 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETSEXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Photo: © Franz Dejon/IISD

The tenth meeting of theParties to the Convention on
Biological Diversity was heldin Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture,
Japan, in October 2010.

In 2010, Parties to the Convention on
Biological Diversity (CBD) adopted theStrategic Plan, containing 20 ‘Aichi
Biodiversity Targets’ to tackle the lossof nature.
Birds are excellent environmental
indicators. In this report, we synthesise
data from birds to examine to what
degree each Aichi Target was met, andto identify examples of positive trends
and successes.
Data from birds suggest that we havefailed to meet in full any of the 18/20
Aichi Targets assessed:
The underlying drivers of loss of natureremain, with biodiversity still not yet
adequately mainstreamed across all
sectors.
Agriculture, forestry and fisheriescontinue to be managed unsustainably,
driving habitat loss and degradation.
Pollution, invasive alien species andclimate change are growing threats tobirds and other biodiversity.
Protected area networks are yet
to provide adequate coverage ofImportant Bird and Biodiversity Areas(IBAs, Key Biodiversity Areas identified
for birds), with 36% of IBAs being
entirely unprotected.
Species continue to be driven towards
extinction, with declines of common
species undermining delivery of
ecosystem services such as pollination.

Nevertheless, birds provide hope.
For most targets assessed, there aresuccesses and positive trends for some
aspects, species or locations:Birds help people to develop
an awareness of nature and thebiodiversity crisis.
Data on birds are being used tomainstream biodiversity across sectors,
such as for financial institutions andbusinesses to screen for biodiversity
risks when planning projects anddevelopments.
Reformed incentive systems such as
agri-environment schemes have helped
to slow or reverse bird population
declines.
Unsustainable hunting practices arebeing eliminated through community
conservation efforts in some locations.
Mitigation measures are reducing
bycatch of seabirds in fisheries, while
action to reduce pollution is benefiting
many species.
Over 160 native bird species havebenefited from successful eradicationsof invasive species on islands, whilebiosecurity has saved at least one bird
species from extinction.

Conservation of Important Bird andBiodiversity Areas typically benefits
people as well as biodiversity.
Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas
worldwide contain 300 Gigatonnesof carbon, almost 9% of the world’s
carbon stocks, so their conservation
also contributes to climate change
mitigation.
Citizen scientists are increasingly
mobilising and sharing data on theoccurrence and abundance of birds,
enabling innovative approaches totheir conservation.
These results also provide valuable
insights for the development andimplementation of goals and targetsof the post-2020 Global Biodiversity
Framework that is currently undernegotiation through the CBD.
Birds point the way to a more effectiveand ‘smarter’ set of goals and targets,and provide a suite of metrics andindicators for measuring progress.
Birds also inform more effective
implementation measures addressing
enabling conditions such as reporting,verification, resourcing and international
cooperation.

Conservation efforts have prevented
up to 18 bird species from going
extinct since 2010, and have slowed
the effective extinction rate of birds byat least 40%.
BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 3

FOREWORD

BRAULIO FERREIRA DE SOUZA DIASCHAIR OF BIRDLIFE INTERNATIONALGLOBAL COUNCIL
The Strategic Plan on Biodiversity
2011-2020, and the 20 Aichi
Biodiversity Targets it contained,
was adopted by Parties to
the Convention on Biological
Diversity in 2010. It represented
an unprecedented attempt by
world governments to slow the loss of nature andpromote its recovery. At the end of the period for
implementing actions to meet these targets, therecently launched Fifth Global Biodiversity Outlook
summarised what was achieved.
BirdLife’s Birds and Biodiversity Targets reportdives deeper into some of the findings, focusing on
the unique insights and unparalleled datasets thatbirds provide to underpin such an assessment. It
shows that the world has failed to fully meet theambitious goals it set a decade ago. This failure
stems from insufficient implementation of nationaltargets in most countries, a mismatch between
the ambition level of most national targets andthat of the global targets, a lack of mainstreamingof biodiversity across the social and economic
sectors, and insufficient engagement of headsof-state in the CBD Framework negotiation andimplementation. We must recognise, however, theincreased efforts by most countries to improve theirbiodiversity agenda, with almost half of all countries
adopting their updated National Biodiversity
Strategies and Action Plans as a “whole-ofgovernment” policy, thereby effectively promoting
the mainstreaming of biodiversity in all sectors.

4 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS

But this should not be cause for giving up. As
shown in this report, birds also provide reasonsfor hope: inspiring examples of success, positive
trends, and insights into how biodiversity targets
can be met. In the last decade, conservation efforts
have prevented up to 18 bird extinctions, reduced
the accumulation of bird ‘extinction debt’ by 40%,
reduced seabird bycatch in fisheries by up to 99% insome cases, removed the threat of invasive species
from numerous islands, significantly increased thecoverage of marine protected areas and increased
public awareness and engagement. These examples
illustrate that we have the necessary tools andknowledge to tackle the biodiversity crisis.
Moving forward, these results provide key
insights into what is needed for the design
and implementation of the post-2020 Global
Biodiversity Framework currently being negotiatedbetween governments. The findings summarisedin this report should inspire governments to adopt
ambitious, well-crafted goals and targets to put
nature on a path to recovery over the coming
decade. We must fully succeed this time – ourfuture depends on a healthy planet.

PATRICIA ZURITA
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OFBIRDLIFE INTERNATIONAL
Birds are more popular andbetter studied than any othercomparable group of organisms,
and are consequently excellent
barometers for change in thewider environment. This reportis the latest in the State of theWorld’s Birds series, which has been producedwith the generous support of the Aage V. Jensen
Charity Foundation. The evidence compiled in it
shows unequivocally that the state of the natural
world continues to deteriorate. Pressures such as
habitat loss, over-exploitation, and invasive species
continue to drive species towards extinction,
disrupting delicately balanced ecosystems andreducing the capacity of our planet to sustain us
into the future.
A healthy planet is essential for our own healthand well-being. Access to nature has been shown
to improve physical health, reduce chronic stress,
anxiety, and depression, and boost concentrationand self-esteem. Never has the importance of ahealthy planet been more evident than this year,
as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affectus all. Studies have shown that 75% of new or
emerging diseases that affect humans originatedin animals. If we continue to expand our cities,
crops and livestock into previously untouchedlandscapes, force wildlife to seek refuge nearhuman populations by destroying their natural
habitat, and exploit species for illegal wildlife tradeand consumption, we are exposing ourselves todeadly risks.
The contents of this report tell us that it istime to wake up. We humans need to stop seeing
ourselves as the owners of nature. We are partof nature, and the planet is a system on whose
delicate balance our own survival depends. It is timeto think beyond human health, and more in termsof the wider planetary health. Birds show us what
action is needed: by conserving birds, we address
the threats affecting biodiversity more widely,helping to restore and sustain the health of ourplanet. If we want to prevent further health crises, it
is imperative that we listen to the birds.

BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 5

PHOTO: Common Cranes Grus grus © Arndt Sven-Erik/ Alamy Stock Photo

FOREWORD

THE WIDER CONTEXT FOR
A FOCUS ON BIRDS AND
BIODIVERSITY TARGETS
Photo: © Rachel Gartner

ver the last two decades, BirdLife’s
State of the World’s Birds reports
have summarised what birds
tell us about the state of nature,
the pressures upon it, and thesolutions needed. Building on these and manyother sources, the first Global Assessment fromthe Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)
concluded in 2019 that, from genes to species andecosystems, humanity’s common natural heritage,and ultimately its collective safety net, is declining
fast. The report included an estimate (drawing
on data from the International Union for theConservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, including
BirdLife’s assessments of extinction risk for all
birds) that a shocking one million species may becurrently threatened with global extinction.

O

Not only do we risk losing a million unique andwondrous lifeforms, we also risk fundamentally
impairing the biological processes that sustain ourown existence. A healthy ecosystem is one thathas both variety and abundance of life, and it is thisrichness that underpins ecosystem functions anddelivers ‘ecosystem services’, such as pollination,water purification, carbon sequestration andstorage, which in turn provide us with the food,water and clean air we need to live.
Nature underpins the delivery of the Sustainable
Development Goals. However, our systematic
disregard for the environment is jeopardisingprogress towards sustainable development.
Continued loss of nature threatens over half ofglobal GDP as well as human lives and well-being,with the poorest and most vulnerable the first andhardest hit. This has been brought into sharp focus
this year, with the roots of the current, devastating
COVID-19 pandemic linked to our mismanagementof nature.
While an economic and societal tragedy,
COVID-19 presents an unprecedented opportunity
to reset humanity’s relationship with nature and to
catalyse the transformative change necessary in
our political, economic and financial systems.

As public awareness and interest in the continuing
biodiversity crisis grows, increasing numbers of people fromaround the world are engaging in climate protests.

The UN-75 Global Dialogue reveals that people
around the world overwhelmingly believe thatclimate and the environment will most affecthumanity’s future. The UN must recognise the valueof nature, not just as the foundation of a healthy
and resilient economy, but as the basis for humanwell-being, peace and security, and put nature at
the core of its agenda.
As we end the UN Decade on Biodiversity withnature in a poorer state than when the decade
began, governments must reflect on the successes
and failures of the last global plan on biodiversity
documented in the Fifth Global Biodiversity
Outlook. The post-2020 framework must this time
succeed in putting nature on a path to recovery
and securing a healthy, just and sustainable future
for all, for the sake of both current and future
generations. Birds can both illuminate the failuresof recent targets and inform the requirements of
new goals. This report shows us how.

Sources: Díaz et al. (2019), IPBES (2019), UN75 (2020), UNEP (2012), UNEP & ILRI (2020), WEF (2020)

6 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETSINTRODUCTION
The Aichi Biodiversity Targets
In 2010, Parties to the Convention on Biological
Diversity (CBD) adopted a bold Strategic Planfor Biodiversity for 2011-2020. It contained 20‘Aichi Biodiversity Targets’ to tackle the loss anddegradation of nature, aiming to improve the stateof nature, reduce direct pressures, address theunderlying drivers of loss, enhance the benefits topeople from nature, and enhance implementationof the Convention to achieve these aims.
At the end of this period, it is timely to examine
the progress made towards achieving thesetargets, and to learn from successes and failures.
In this report, we synthesise data from birds toexamine to what degree each target was met,
and to identify examples of positive progress andsuccess.
We cover all but two of the Aichi Targets,
omitting Target 16 (on implementing the Nagoya
Protocol on Access and Benefits Sharing) andTarget 17 (on developing and implementing
national biodiversity strategies and action plans),
as information from birds is less relevant or
unavailable for assessing these.

Photo: Wandering Albtaross Diomedea exulans © Henri Weimerskirch

Why birds?
Birds are by far the best known class of organisms
on the planet. They are popular and engaging,
and as a consequence there is an army of casual
birdwatchers as well as professional ornithologists
and conservationists collecting data on birds
all across the world. Fortunately, birds are also
very useful indicators of wider biodiversity: they
are found in all countries and nearly all habitats;most species are generally straightforward to
detect, identify and count; their taxonomy is wellunderstood and fairly stable; and their populations
are responsive to environmental change. Thismeans that there is a plethora of data available
on birds, and they can be used as indicators of
the health of ecosystems. Birds have also received

considerable conservation attention, and thesolutions identified to safeguard and restore their
populations and habitats are typically relevant towildlife more broadly. To summarise: birds can tell
us about the state of the planet, the pressureson nature, and the solutions needed to conserve
species and habitats.

Reasons for hopeDespite the ongoing loss and degradation of lifeon earth, there are numerous reasons for hope. In
this report, we identify at least one ‘good news’
story for each target, to illustrate that successes
have been achieved and progress made, even if theoverall trend is negative owing to the magnitudeof growth in the drivers and pressures on nature on
our planet.

Implications for the future
Lastly, we focus on the implications of this review
for the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework
currently being negotiated through the CBD. We
consider what the information from birds tells
us about the threats that need addressing, theactions that are required, and how to express theoutcomes we wish to achieve in order to meet
the CBD Vision of living in harmony with nature
for the coming decades. We show how birds canpoint the way to a more effective and ‘smarter’ setof goals and targets, provide a suite of metrics andindicators for measuring progress and inform more
effective implementation measures addressing
enabling conditions.

WHAT BIRDS TELL US

Each target in this report is scored as follows:
Target fully met
Target largely met
Some progress
but target not met
Little progress and target
far from being met

Movement awayfrom target
Birds are widespread, engaging, and relatively easy toobserve and identify, making them the best studied taxon in
the world.

This assessment is based on information and data on birds, including the casestudies presented here, and reflects progress achieved in relation to birdconservation, rather than a comprehensive assessment of all dimensions of eachtarget, which can be found in the Global Biodiversity Outlook-5.

BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 7

STRATEGICGOAL A
Address the underlying causes of
biodiversity loss by mainstreaming
biodiversity across governmentand society

8 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS

PHOTO: Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris murmuration © Nicky Kenny/ Shutterstock.com

BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 9

RAISING AWARENESS OF THE
VALUE OF BIODIVERSITY
Birds are spectacularly popular and have engaged increasing numbers of people
across the world, raising awareness of biodiversity and the pressures it is under.
Alongside growing public awareness of the linked biodiversity and climate
crises, this provides hope for more effective actions to tackle biodiversity loss inthe coming decade.
WHAT BIRDS TELL US
Some progress but target not met

SOME PROGRESS…

AICHITARGET

1

Birds help people to develop anawareness of nature and the biodiversity
crisis.

26
24
22
20
18
2011

Year

>20,000
visitors to UK Birdfair
every year

10 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS

2019

While birdwatching has long been a popular activity inwestern countries, interest in Asia has grown rapidly inrecent years. This has contributed to a greater understandingof bird population trends and increased local support forconservation. PHOTO Vivian Fu

UK, to enjoy birdwatching activities, informative
lectures, art and nature-focused shopping. For
over 30 years, Birdfair has been managed to raiseawareness and funds for conservation, with adifferent project being the focus each year.

60

31

50

27

Number of societies

Number of participants (thousands)

Number of visitors (thousands)

By 2020, at the latest,
people are aware of thevalues of biodiversity
and the steps they cantake to conserve and use
it sustainably.

Being conspicuous, colourful and engaging,birds are popular. They are therefore aneffective entry point for people to engage
with the natural world and develop awarenessof biodiversity and understanding of its value.
Each October, thousands of people participate
in EuroBirdwatch: a series of hundreds of local
birdwatching events open to all across Europe
and Central Asia. Experienced birders, inquisitive
newcomers, the young and old alike join up to
observe, identify and count passing birds during
autumn migration, when millions of birds maketheir epic journeys southwards to wintering
areas in the Mediterranean and in Africa. The aimof EuroBirdwatch is not only to share the joyof birdwatching but also to educate people byintroducing wider audiences to the specific needsof migratory birds and the potential perils they facealong their flyways twice a year. Similar numbersof people attend the annual ‘Birdfair’, in Rutland,

23
19
15
2013

52%

Year

increase in participation
since 2013

2019

40
30
20
10
0
2010

30

Year

new Chinese birdwatchingsocieties set up since 20102018

Aves Argentinas, Latin America’s oldest environmentalorganisation and BirdLife Partner, organises several
education and engagement programmes to raiseawareness of birds and biodiversity, including
birdwatching courses, a “Guardians of Nature”
programme, and Argentina’s School of Naturalists.
PHOTO Andrea Filadoro...AND FURTHER POSITIVE TRENDS

Increasing numbers of people are joining civil society organisations
as a positive step to conserve naturelargest global partnership of national nature
conservation organisations. Registering asa member of a BirdLife Partner provides
individuals with the opportunity to support
the conservation of nature as well as toreceive information and advice on the steps
that they can take to conserve nature andAs well as engaging people, birds
increasingly inspire them to take action
to conserve biodiversity. Growing
numbers of people are supporting civilsociety organisations focused on nature
conservation. With 115 Partners in 112
countries, BirdLife International is the

4000

25000

3500

20000

3000
No. members

No. members

ensure its use is sustainable. The number ofmembers of Natagora (BirdLife in Wallonia,
Belgium) and Aves Argentinas (BirdLife inArgentina) have each more than doubled
since 2010, reflecting the growing trendof support for nature conservation, and ofpeople taking action to achieve this.

15000
10000

2500
2000
1500
1000

5000

500
0
2010

2012

2014

2016
Year

2018

2020

0
2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

Year

Growth in the number of members of BirdLife International Partners in Wallonia, Belgium (Natagora) and Argentina (Aves Argentinas) during 2010-2019.

BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 1111

MAINSTREAMING
BIODIVERSITY VALUES
Data on birds are increasingly being integrated into development and planning
processes, from the use of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas to screen
development finance and corporate footprints to the use of information on
sensitive species and locations in renewable energy development planning.
WHAT BIRDS TELL US
Some progress but target not met

AICHI
TARGET2

By 2020, at the latest,
biodiversity values
have been integrated
into national andlocal development
and poverty reduction
strategies and planning
processes and arebeing incorporated into
national accounting,as appropriate, andreporting systems.

SOME PROGRESS…

Data on birds and key sites for theirconservation are increasingly being
used by the private sector to screen forbiodiversity risks when planning projects
and developments
To minimise negative impacts on biodiversity,
companies and financial institutions are
increasingly screening potential projects for theirbiodiversity risk using data on birds and otherwell-known groups compiled into the Integrated
Biodiversity Assessment Tool (IBAT). This is a webbased map and reporting tool that provides fast,easy and integrated access to critical biodiversity
information, including from the World Databaseon Protected Areas, the World Database of
Key Biodiversity Areas (incorporating data on>13,000 Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas),
and the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(incorporating assessments of >11,000 bird species).
Users of IBAT include large energy and extractive
industry companies such as BP, ExxonMobil,
Total, Anglo American, Rio Tinto and BHP, utility
companies including EDF, Enel and Engie, andfinancial institutions such as BNP Paribas, J.P.
Morgan, Standard Chartered, Asian Development

Wind farms can have a detrimental impact on birds if poorly
sited. The renewable energy sector, government agencies
and conservation practitioners are increasingly working
together to ensure that the expansion of renewable energy
does not harm wildlife. PHOTO STRIXBank (ADB), the European Investment Bank andthe World Bank Group. Francesco Ricciardi, anenvironmental specialist at ADB, explains that thebank uses IBAT “to identify if a proposed project
is located in an area of high biodiversity value, if
potentially there are endangered species recorded
in proximity, as well as protected areas or natural
reserves. If one or more such risks are identified, it
triggers additional studies and evaluations requiredby ADB’s Safeguards Policy Statement.”

22,523locations in 228 countries
assessed by IBAT users

5,341

Percentage of all
locations uploaded
by IBAT users

reports downloaded in 2019

1%

3,502

2%

users on the IBAT platform

3-4%
5-7%
8-10%

The Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool is widely used by the private sector to integrate biodiversity values into planning and reporting.

12 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS

BirdLife’s Soaring Bird Sensitivity
Mapping Tool is used throughout
the Mediterranean, Middle Eastand north-east Africa to support
sustainable wind energy expansion.

...AND FURTHER POSITIVE TRENDS

The renewable energy sector is increasingly using information on birds
to avoid sensitive locations
A swift transition from CO emitting fossil²
fuels to renewable sources of energy isessential. However, renewable energy
facilities, such as wind and solar farms, canhave a detrimental impact on wildlife if
poorly sited. For instance, one of the wildlife
groups most directly impacted by windenergy is birds. Not only can inappropriately
sited wind farms destroy importantbird habitat, birds can also be impacted
through collision with turbine blades anddisplacement from their key flight paths andmigration routes. Fortunately, wind and solar
radiation are widespread resources and there
is considerable scope to choose locations
for development where the impact on birds
and other wildlife will be minimal. With
careful, strategic and proactive planning, it ispossible to meet renewable energy targets
without adversely affecting wildlife. To
achieve this, the renewable energy sector,
government agencies and conservation

practitioners are increasingly working
together to ensure that the expansion ofrenewable energy does not harm wildlife.
Central to this ambition is avian sensitivity
mapping, a technique whereby spatial bird
data is used to identify areas where conflict
between renewable energy and birds is likely
to occur. The preparation of such maps inadvance of wind and solar expansion cansignificantly reduce the likelihood of conflictwith birds and other wildlife.
BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 13

REFORMING
INCENTIVES
Information from birds is informing revisions to subsidy systems, but many
incentives remain damaging to biodiversity, driving unsustainable practices inagriculture, fisheries and other sectors that destroy and degrade habitats, anddrive declines in nature.
WHAT BIRDS TELL US
Little progress and target far from being met

3

By 2020, at the latest,
incentives, including
subsidies, harmful
to biodiversity are
eliminated, phased out
or reformed in orderto minimize or avoid
negative impacts, andpositive incentives
for the conservationand sustainable useof biodiversity aredeveloped and applied,consistent and inharmony with theConvention and otherrelevant international
obligations, taking into
account national socioeconomic conditions.

SOME PROGRESS…

In the USA, environmental measures
under the Farm Bill have reversed bird
population declines
After two decades of declines, wetland bird
populations grew dramatically—and forestand grassland bird populations stabilized—
following the introduction of key conservation
programmes linked to subsidies under the FarmBill – the agricultural and food policy tool of the US
Government. For example, wetland bird numbers
had declined 10% since 1970 when ‘wetland
easements’ (voluntary legal agreements that limit
certain types of land-uses in perpetuity) wereadded to the Farm Bill in 1990, but have risen by
51% since then. Forest birds declined by 19% during
1970-1990, but the decline levelled off and thenpopulations rose by 3% since the ‘forestry title’ wasadded to the Bill in 1990. Finally, long-term declines
in grassland bird populations had reached 34%
by the time the ‘Conservation Reserve Program’30
Population trend (% change)

AICHI
TARGET

20

A new, updated Farm Bill is signed into law approximately
every five years. Recent changes have included
consolidation of conservation programs to allow greater
coordination between them, and increased incentives
for organic farming, rotational grazing, and use of covercrops. PHOTO Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

began in 1985, but eventually stabilized, and rose
by 3% after ‘grassland easements’ were added to
the Farm Bill in 2003. These examples based on bird
data show that revisions to subsidy systems canhalt and reverse biodiversity trends at a continental
scale. Source: NABCI (2017).

1985

1990

2003

Conservation
Reserve Program(CRP) introduced

Forestry title andwetland easements
added to Farm Bill

Grasslandeasements added
to Farm Bill

Wetland birds

10
Forest birds

0
-10
-20

Grassland birds

-30
-40
-50
1968

1973

1978

1983

1988

1993

1998

2003

2008

2013

2018

Year
Average population trends for suites of bird species dependent on major habitat types. Source: North American Breeding Bird Survey and wetland bird surveys (courtesy ofJohn Sauer USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center).

14 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS

The EU’s Common Agricultural
Policy (CAP) continues to reward
intensively managed farms while
offering much poorer deals towildlife-friendly farming systems.
Only 25% of CAP spending goes torural development, while just 4% isspent on agri-environment schemes.
PHOTO Fotokostic/ Shutterstock.com…BUT TARGET NOT METEuropean agricultural policies are driving
declines in birds and other biodiversity

5.6

0.05

5.4
5.2

0.00

5.0
4.8

-0.05

4.6
4.4

-0.10

Mean yield (kg x 1,000/ha)

5.8
Mean relative abundance

The EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) remains
heavily biased in favour of intensive farming, and is
still driving intensification and hence environmental
harm. A 2018 study for the Czech Republic
showed that farming intensified and farmland bird
populations declined steeply after the country
joined the EU in 2004. Similar results have beenfound in other EU countries: for example in Spain,
the CAP has driven the loss of fallow land (which
is not used for production), and this is associatedwith the loss of farmland birds. Finally, a scientificopinion supported by over 3,600 scientists in 2020
confirmed that the CAP “supports a variety ofpractices contributing to wide-scale biodiversity
loss”. Incentives for growing biofuels have also led
to increased use of land to grow maize, oilseed andother biofuel crops. A 2014 study estimated thatthe increase of farmland for maize cultivation inGermany could result in a 10% decline of farmlandbirds by 2050. Sources: Pe’er et al. (2019), Reif &Vermouzek (2019), Sauerbrei et al. (2014), Traba &Morales (2019).

6.0

0.10

4.2
-0.15

BeforeAfter

BeforeAfter

4.0

The abundance of farmland bird populations declined as farmland yields increased following theimplementation of the Common Agricultural Policy after the Czech Republic joined the EU. Bars
show means with 95% confidence intervals. Abundance is shown relative to 1982 levels, comparing
1993-2004 and 2005-2017. Yield is shown as the mean per hectare yield of wheat, comparing 19932004 and 2005-2016. Source: data from Reif & Vermouzek (2019).

BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 15

ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE
PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION
While there have been some successes in reducing the negative impacts ofunsustainable use of bird species since 2010, data from birds show that overall
human consumption patterns are not yet sustainable.
WHAT BIRDS TELL US
Little progress and target far from being met

AICHI
TARGET4

By 2020, at the latest,
Governments, businessand stakeholders at
all levels have taken
steps to achieve or have
implemented plans forsustainable production
and consumption andhave kept the impacts ofuse of natural resources
well within safe
ecological limits.

SOME PROGRESS…

Unsustainable hunting of Amur Falcons
in India ended through community
conservation
Amur Falcon Falco amurensis is a migratory raptor
that undertakes spectacular annual journeys
between its breeding grounds in East Asia andwintering areas in southern Africa. In 2012, theBombay Natural History Society (BNHS, BirdLife
in India) was alerted to mass trapping of verylarge flocks of Amur Falcons at Doyang Reservoir
in Nagaland, India. This vital stopover site is usedby up to one million falcons every autumn, but
an estimated 100,000-140,000 individuals werebeing trapped each season, mostly for sale atlocal food markets. In response, BirdLife launched
an international appeal, raising funds to support
a long-term community outreach project. An
innovative PR campaign—“Friends of the Amur
Falcon”—was developed to galvanise community
action and build awareness of the importanceof conserving the species. Local people were
employed to patrol the Doyang area and to
start eco-clubs through churches, schools andother local groups. This approach proved hugely

Up to a million Amur Falcons Falco amurensis use the Doyang
Reservoir in Nagaland as a stopover site during their annual
22,000 km migration, forming spectacular flocks which
attract thousands of tourists. PHOTO Ramki Sreenivasan/
Conservation India

successful, with many former hunters becoming
guardians of the falcons, and there have been noreports of falcon hunting in the area since 2013.
Doyang Reservoir was declared an Important Bird
and Biodiversity Area in 2016, and is becoming an
increasingly popular avitourism destination.

>100,000 Amur Falcons>500 children>2,500 tourists

Counted during a transect of Doyang
Reservoir by BNHS in 2018

Currently take part in eco-clubs run by
BNHS across 6 villages in Nagaland

Visited home stays in Nagaland set up
for bird tourism since 201516 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS

The Common Hill Myna Gracula
religiosa is one of the most popularavian pets in Asia. Intensive trade ofthis species has caused significant
population declines – during
2000-2019, over 40,000 wild-caught
individuals were exported fromcountries across South and SouthEast Asia. PHOTO Aphisit Sailueam/
Shutterstock.com…BUT TARGET NOT MET

0.8980

The Red List Index shows that humanuse of the world’s birds remains
unsustainable

0.89700.89650.89600.8955
2010

0.904

2012

2014

2016

Red List Index of
species survival

At least 45% of extant bird species (over 4,500
species) are used by humans, principally for pets
(37%) and for hunting for food (14%), but otheruses include sport hunting, ornamentation andtraditional medicine. Much of this use drives
trade at an international scale, involving at leasta third of bird species, mostly for the pet trade.
Unfortunately, however, human use of birds
remains unsustainable: 39% of threatened birds
are impacted by unsustainable levels of direct
exploitation (hunting and trapping), and 75% arethreatened by all forms of biological resource use(including effects of logging and fisheries). Muchof this is illegal: recent studies estimate that 13-43
million individual birds are killed illegally each year
in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.
The Red List Index showing impacts of utilisationshows that although successful control andmanagement of use and trade have led tosome species improving in status, this has
been outweighed by the number of species
deteriorating in status owing to unsustainable
exploitation. Sources: Brochet et al. (2016, 2017,2019), Butchart (2008).

0.8975

0.894
1988

1992

1996

2000

2004
Year

2008

2012

2016

The Red List Index for the world’s birds showing trends driven by use indicates that unsustainable levels of
hunting and trapping continue to drive them towards extinction. A value of 1.0 indicates that all species are
Least Concern, while a value of 0 indicates that all species have gone extinct.

BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 17
17

STRATEGICGOAL B
Reduce the direct pressures on
biodiversity and promote sustainable use

18 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS

PHOTO: Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis © Swayamsiddha Mohapatra

BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 19

REDUCING HABITAT LOSSAND DEGRADATION
While there have been encouragingly successful efforts to stem habitat loss andsafeguard important locations, deforestation in the most significant sites for birdconservation is symptomatic of wider trends in habitat loss and degradation.
WHAT BIRDS TELL US
Little progress and target far from being met

AICHI
TARGET5

By 2020, the rate of lossof all natural habitats,including forests, is atleast halved and where
feasible brought close
to zero, and degradationand fragmentation issignificantly reduced.

SOME PROGRESS…

Migratory waterbirds inspire international
cooperation to stem habitat loss on the
Yellow Sea coast
The network of coastal wetlands along the Yellow
Sea coast of China and the Koreas are vital staging
sites for migratory waterbirds of the East AsianAustralasian flyway, like the Critically Endangered
Spoon-billed Sandpiper Calidris pygmaea. By
2012, an influential analysis highlighted that rapid
economic growth had driven losses averaging
35% of intertidal wetlands across key areas of the
Yellow Sea since the early 1980s. This led to theformation of a working group in which the threenational governments could collaborate for theirshared coastal ecosystem. In 2018, China restrictedfurther coastal wetland reclamation, promoting
ecosystem restoration instead. In 2017, China added
16 Yellow Sea coastal wetland sites to its proposed
UNESCO World Heritage List, and the largest
two were inscribed on the list in 2019, including
Tiaozini, an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area
and the world’s most important stopover site
for the Spoon-billed Sandpiper, which only three

Spoon-billed Sandpiper Calidris pygmaea is a
Critically Endangered species with an estimatedglobal population of around 250 matureindividuals. The Yellow Sea provides an important
stopover habitat during their annual migration.
PHOTO Kajornyot Wildlife Photography/
Shutterstock.com

years earlier was set to be destroyed by one of
the largest ever coastal land-claim projects. The
remaining Chinese sites are to be nominated in
2022, while South Korea’s Yellow Sea coast World
Heritage nomination was due to be inscribedin 2020. Other countries along the Flyway arefollowing suit to help connect critical networks
of coastal sites and secure their future. Source:
MacKinnon et al. (2012)

NORTH
KOREA

SOUTH
KOREA
Yellow Sea

CHINA

Proposed World
Heritage Site
Inscribed World
Heritage Site
Migratory routes

Locations in the Yellow Sea proposed as World Heritage Sites, and the bird migratory routes that connect them to other parts of the world.

20 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS

Even in areas where commercial
exploitation is prohibited, illegal
logging is still rife. In 2018, the Brazilian
Environmental and Renewable Natural
Resources Institute (IBAMA) seized 7,387
logs illegally harvested in the densely
forested Pirititi indigenous Amazon lands.
PHOTO Felipe Werneck, IBAMA/ Flickr

Forest continues to be lost acrossthe network of Important Bird andBiodiversity Areas
Three-quarters (74%) of Important Bird andBiodiversity Areas (IBAs, Key Biodiversity Areas
identified for birds) are threatened by factors that
impact habitat extent and condition, including
unsustainable agriculture and commercial andresidential development. Since 2000, 5.6% of forest
cover has been lost from Key Biodiversity Areas
identified for forest-dependent birds, and 3.4% has
been lost since 2010. Of considerable concern, therate of loss appears to have continued to increasesince 2010, although there is variation between
years. Globally, the main drivers of deforestation
include forestry, commodity production, wildfire,
shifting agriculture and urbanisation. The failure toaddress these drivers and to safeguard the mostimportant locations for bird conservation fromtheir impacts indicates that this target has notbeen met. Sources: Global Forest Review (2020).

Annual % loss of tree cover in IBAs

…BUT TARGET NOT MET

0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020
Year

Total annual percentage tree cover lost between 2000 and 2019 within Important Bird and Biodiversity
Areas identified for forest-dependent bird species. Increased losses in 2016 were driven by expanding
agriculture, plus forestry and fires. Source: Hansen Global Forest Change v1.7 (2000-2019; http://
earthenginepartners.appspot.com/science-2013-global-forest).

BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 21
21

SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES
Implementation of mitigation measures has spectacularly reduced seabird
bycatch in some fisheries. However, extinction risk trends driven by fisheries andtheir impacts show that overall, many of the world’s fisheries
remain unsustainable.
WHAT BIRDS TELL US
Some progress but target not met

6

By 2020, all fish andinvertebrate stocks
and aquatic plants aremanaged and harvested
sustainably, legally andapplying ecosystem
based approaches,so that overfishing is
avoided, recovery plans
and measures are inplace for all depleted
species, fisheries haveno significant adverse
impacts on threatened
species and vulnerable
ecosystems and theimpacts of fisheries
on stocks, species andecosystems are withinsafe ecological limits.

TARGET NOT MET…

Unsustainable fisheries are continuing todrive declines in the world’s birds
Despite the successes in mitigating the impactof fishing gear on seabirds, bycatch is still the
major at-sea threat to seabirds, particularly forsome of the most threatened groups, including
albatrosses and large petrels. Threats related tofisheries (including bycatch, but also overfishingof prey species) are increasing and affecting
more threatened seabird species compared withthe situation a decade ago. The challenge insolving this problem remains in ensuring practicalimplementation of measures and effective
compliance to monitor uptake, particularly on thehigh seas. Furthermore, solutions for gillnet bycatch(which particularly affects coastal species such as
sea-ducks, some penguins and auks) remain elusive
and are an urgent research priority.

60

BycatchIt is estimated that an albatross dies in a fishery every five minutes.
Incidental capture of Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans
significantly reduces adult and juvenile survival, driving global
population declines. PHOTO Brook Whylie

Overfishing50
Number of species impacted

AICHI
TARGET

40
30
20
10
0
2010

2019

2010

2019

The numbers of globally threatened seabird species impacted by bycatch and overfishing have increased since 2010 by 25% and120% respectively. Sources: Croxall et al. (2012), Dias et al. (2019).

22 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS

Bird Scaring Lines deter seabirds
from trawl cables and hooks,
reducing seabird mortality by 90%
or more when used alongsideother mitigation measures.
PHOTO Nahuel Chavez…BUT SOME PROGRESS

Mitigation measures are reducing
bycatch of seabirds in fisheries
Unintentional capture of non-target species(‘bycatch’) is a major threat in the marine
environment. Encouragingly, however, bycatchmitigation measures are now being implemented
in many oceanic areas, within and beyond national
jurisdictions. Examples include the requirement
for seabird mitigation measures in all tuna
fisheries commissions, and the introduction ofseabird bycatch regulations in nine out of ten of
the fisheries targeted by BirdLife International’s
Albatross Task Force. This has led to a 99%
reduction in albatrosses killed in the South Africanhake trawl fishery since 2004-2005. The numbersof some well-studied populations of albatrosses,
such as Black-browed Albatrosses Thalassarchemelanophris breeding at Bird Island, South Georgia,
seem to now be stabilizing after steep declines
in recent decades. These successes were possible
thanks to cutting-edge science to identify hotspots
of bycatch and develop mitigation solutions,allied with grassroots work on fishing vessels andin ports, as well as intensive advocacy work withindustry, governments and the Regional Fisheries
Management Organizations. Sources: Maree et al.
(2014), ATF (2015, 2017, 2019).

Chile

Argentina

Trials of modified nets
by the Albatross Task
Force demonstrate
98% reduction in purse
seine seabird bycatch

Regulations in place since2017, resulting in increasinguse of bird-scaring lines intrawl fleets

Uruguay
Pelagic longline
bycatch mitigations
in place since 2009

Namibia>95% reduction in
demersal longline
bycatch rates

South Africa
99% reduction in albatross
bycatch from demersal trawling

Progress in implementing seabird bycatch mitgation and the benefits for seabird populations.

BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 23

ENSURING SUSTAINABLE
AGRICULTURE, AQUACULTURE
AND FORESTRY
Some agri-environment measures can deliver impressive benefits for birds
and other biodiversity, but declines in farmland bird populations since 2010
show that such measures are insufficient, and overall, agriculture remains
unsustainable, representing the largest threat to birds worldwide.
WHAT BIRDS TELL US
Little progress and target far from being met

AICHI
TARGET

7

Agri-environment measures are
benefiting common farmland birds andmoderating their declines
Agri-environment schemes provide funding tofarmers and land managers to farm in a way that
benefits biodiversity, enhances the landscape,and improves the quality of water, air and soil.
Measures include leaving strips unploughed, grass
margins, and reducing pesticide and fertiliser
inputs. One recent study showed that for resident
and short-distance migratory common farmlandbirds in Europe, population declines were lesssevere in countries where agricultural areas underagri-environment schemes were more abundant,
even though such schemes are usually notdesigned to protect bird species, but rather togenerally improve farmland environmental quality.
This suggests that the non-targeted environmental
measures within these schemes could be beneficial
to some common farmland birds at the EU level.
Source: Gamero et al. (2017).

Population growth rate (log scale)

By 2020 areas under
agriculture, aquaculture
and forestry are
managed sustainably,
ensuring conservation of
biodiversity.

SOME PROGRESS…

Establishing wildflower margins around agricultural
fields provides nesting habitat and enhanced feeding
opportunities, benefiting species such as Cirl Bunting
Emberiza cirlus and Eurasian Thick-knee Burhinus
oedicnemus. PHOTO Pixabay

0.10
0.05
0.00
-0.05
-0.10
-0.15
-0.20

20

40

60

80

100

% farmland under AES
The UK Cirl Bunting population has increased nine-fold since
the introduction of agri-environment schemes designed toprovide overwinter stubbles, grass margins, and beneficiallymanaged hedges. PHOTO Mickaël Dia/ Flickr

24 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS

Population growth rates of common farmland birds (resident and short-distance migrants) in relation topercentage of farmland under agri-environment schemes, showing that in areas with a higher proportion of
farmland under such schemes, declines are less severe (i.e. less negative growth rates). Dashed lines show
confidence intervals. Source: Gamero et al. (2017).

Grey Partridges Perdix perdix
were recently declared extinct in
Switzerland, and continue to show
marked declines across their native
European range due to agriculturalintensification.
PHOTO Ekaterina Chernetsova/ Flickr…BUT TARGET NOT MET

Farmland bird population trends in
Europe show that agriculture remains
unsustainable in the region

44.5
44.0
43.5
2020

43.0
Farmland Bird Index (1980=100)

Unsustainable agriculture remains the predominant
threat to threatened birds and the key sites
for their conservation, but it also affects many
common and widespread taxa worldwide. Almost
half of Europe’s 530 bird species are impacted byagriculture, including 40 regionally threatened
species. The impacts of agriculture on birds in
Europe are revealed by the European Farmland
Bird Index. This is based on annual breeding
bird survey data from 28 European countries
collected through the Pan-European Common Bird
Monitoring Scheme. Regional trend indices for 170
common and widespread species, weighted by
the proportion of the population in each country,
are combined to produce multi-species indicators
showing trends in bird populations in key habitats.
The European Farmland Bird Index, combining datafor 39 farmland specialists, has declined by 57%
since 1980, with no sign of recovery since 2010
(trend = -4%). This represents a net loss of morethan 300 million birds, indicating that European
agriculture remains unsustainable. Source: BirdLife
International (2015), PECBMS (2019).

45.0

2010 2012 2014 2016 2018
Year

100
75
50
25
0

1980

1985

1990

1995

2000
Year

2005

2010

2015

2020

The European Farmland Bird Index showing trends in average population abundance of 39 farmland
specialist species in 28 European countries (1980-2018). Source: Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring
Scheme (European Bird Census Council/BirdLife International/RSPB/CSO).

BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 25

REDUCING POLLUTION
Significant progress has been made in tackling particular types of pollution, fromoil spills to veterinary drugs. However, pollution remains a major threat to theworld’s birds and is a factor driving some species towards extinction.
WHAT BIRDS TELL US
Some progress but target not met

0.8975TARGET NOT MET…

AICHITARGET

8

Pollution currently threatens 434 bird species
worldwide, including 212 globally threatened
species. Agricultural effluents cause ecosystemdegradation, and industrial effluents such as oil
spills can also cause direct and indirect mortality.
Increasing light pollution is already affecting 7.5%of seabird species, particularly small pelagic petrels
which are attracted to artificial lights at night incoastal settlements, as well as on ships and oil
and gas platforms at sea. Confused by the lights,
birds can be injured or “grounded” and unable
to fly, and incineration of huge numbers of birds
has been recorded in oil and gas platform flares.
Other emerging forms of pollution such as marine
plastic debris are poorly studied but likely to havewidespread impacts. The Red List Index showing
the impacts of pollution indicates that pollution
has continued to drive declines in the world’s birds
since 2010. Sources: BirdLife International (2019);
Dias et al. (2019); Rodríguez et al. (2019).

0.89650.89600.8955

Red List Index of species survival

By 2020, pollution,
including from excess
nutrients, has beenbrought to levels thatare not detrimental toecosystem function andbiodiversity.

0.89502010 2012 2014 2016
0.902
0.900
0.898
0.896
0.894
0.892
1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016

The Red List Index for the world’s birds showing trends driven bypollution indicates that this threat continues to drive birds towards
extinction. A value of 1.0 indicates that all species are Least Concern,
while a value of 0 indicates that all species have gone extinct.

Artificial lights in the CanaryIslands disorientate young Cory’s
Shearwaters Calonectris borealis,causing them to become grounded
and significantly increasing mortality.
PHOTO Airam Rodríguez

Agricultural &forestry effluents
Industrial &military effluents
Types of pollution

0.8970A diversity of types of pollution threaten
the world’s birds and drives them
towards extinction

Excess light& noiseIUCN Red List Category

Domestic & urban
waste watern Critically Endangeredn Endangered
n Vulnerable

Garbage &solid wasten Near Threatenedn Least Concern

Air-bourne
pollutants
0

50

100

150

200

Number of species
Number of bird species threatened by different types of pollution. (Past threats are omitted, as are thosewith unknown scope and/or severity). Source: BirdLife International (2019).

26 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS

At Chitwan National Park,
Nepal, numbers of nesting
vulture pairs increased
from 17 to 45 in the three
years following the ban of
Diclofenac and creation of
Vulture Safe Zones. PHOTO
Paul Hilton

Population
abundance

2002 level (pre-decline)

50%

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

Indices of population abundance for White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis in Nepal
for 2012-2018, relative to 2002, reflecting recovery since the ban on veterinary use of
diclofenac in 2006. Source: adapted from Galligan et al. (2019).

…BUT SOME PROGRESS

From oil spills to veterinary drugs, action to reduce pollution is benefiting birds
The incidence of oil spills has declined inrecent decades, with a 66% reduction in thenumber of significant spills (>7 tonnes) per
year since 2010 compared with the previous
decade. The threat posed by oil spills andother types of marine pollution to seabirds
has consequently decreased since 2010,
now affecting 23 rather than 30 globallythreatened seabird species. Another positive
example of progress in reducing pollution is
the reduction in veterinary use of the drug
diclofenac in South Asia since 2010, including
a ban in some countries such as India,
Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. The toxic
effects on vultures of ingesting diclofenac
from carcasses of animals that had beentreated with it is the driver of recent
vulture population crashes in South Asia.
Banning its veterinary use has helped to halt
catastrophic declines and initiate recovery
of some vulture populations, although theissue remains a concern elsewhere. Sources:
Dias et al. (2019); Galligan et al. (2019) ; ITOPF(2020).

Number of spills per year

140
120

7-700 tonnes

100> 700 tonnes

80
60
40
20
0

1970

1980

1990

Year

2000

2010

2020

Number of oil spills from tankers worldwide during 1970-2019. Source: ITOPF (2020).

BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 27

TACKLING INVASIVEALIEN SPECIES
Eradications of invasive alien mammal populations have significantly improved
prospects for the world’s birds since 2010, but, overall, invasive species remain amajor threat to the survival of many species.
WHAT BIRDS TELL US
Some progress but target not met

SOME PROGRESS…

AICHITARGET

9

Over 160 native bird species havebenefited from successful eradications ofinvasive mammal populations on islands,
while biosecurity has saved at least one
bird species from extinction.

By 2020, invasive alien
species and pathways
are identified andprioritized, priority
species are controlled
or eradicated, andmeasures are in place
to manage pathways
to prevent theirintroduction andestablishment.

Cumulative number

300

225

At least 1,084 successful eradications of invasive
animals have been carried out on 806 islands
to date, and these have benefited at least 80
seabird and 82 terrestrial bird species, withmany others likely to have benefited but lacking
data to demonstrate this. Encouragingly, further
eradications of 107 invasive mammal populations
on islands are considered technically and socially
feasible in the near future, and would benefit
at least 80 highly threatened native vertebrate
species, mostly birds. Introduced Brown Tree
Snakes Boiga irregularis drove extinct the
population of Critically Endangered Mariana Crows
Corvus kubaryi on the Pacific island of Guam,but stringent biosecurity efforts (including useof trained dogs to inspect vessels leaving theisland) have prevented snakes from becoming
established on the adjacent island of Rota, withat least one snake that managed to reach Rota
being successfully trapped in 2014 before it could
move from the port area. Given Rota holds the
only remaining population of Mariana Crows, these
efforts have so far successfully prevented theglobal extinction of this species. Sources: Bolam etal. (2020), Holmes et al. (2019), Jones et al. (2016)

The BirdLife International Partnership has recently removed
invasive mammal populations from more than 30 PacificIslands, including the Acteon Gambier island group – hometo the last viable population of the Critically Endangered
Polynesian Ground-dove Alopecoenas erythropterus.
PHOTO Marie-Helene Burle/ Island Conservation

Successful mammal
population eradications

Islands with successful
eradications

150

75

0
1900

1910

1920

1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

2020

Year
Cumulative number of successful invasive alien mammal population eradications (296) on islands (174) that have benefited native bird populations. Note that some islands have
had multiple eradications. Source: Data from Jones et al. (2016) and the Database of Island Invasive Species Eradications, developed by Island Conservation, Coastal Conservation
Action Laboratory UCSC, IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group, University of Auckland and Landcare Research New Zealand. http://diise.islandconservation.org;

28 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS

Black Rats Rattus rattus are adept climbers with an extremely broad
diet. In New Zealand, introduced Black Rats are thought to have been
instrumental in the extinction of at least eleven bird species, including
Bushwren Xenicus longipes and Huia Heteralocha acutirostris. New
Zealand has eradicated all introduced mammals (both herbivores andpredators, including Black Rat) from over 100 of its offshore islands.
PHOTO Ngā Manu Nature Images…BUT TARGET NOT MET

Invasive alien species continue to drive
declines in native bird populations,particularly threatened species on islands

0.89700.89650.89600.89550.8950

2010

2012

2014

2000
2004
Year

2008

2016

0.903
Red List Index of
species survival

Invasive alien species pose a threat to one-thirdof the world’s threatened bird species, including
two-thirds of threatened oceanic island species.
Invasive mammals, particularly rats and cats, arethe most frequent problematic species. A versionof the Red List Index showing the net impacts
of invasive species indicates that despite somesuccessful efforts to control or eradicate suchspecies, these have been insufficient to reduce
the net level of extinction risk posed by invasive
species to the world’s birds since 2010.

0.8975

0.893

The global domestic cat population is estimated to be as highas 600 million. In the USA alone, cats kill over one billion birds
every year. PHOTO Pixabay

1988

1992

1996

2012

2016

The Red List Index for the world’s birds showing trends driven by invasive alien species. A value of 1.0
indicates that all species are Least Concern, while a value of 0 indicates that all species have gone
extinct. There is no sign of an increase, meaning that species continue to be driven towards extinction.

BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 29

MINIMIZING PRESSURES ON
CORAL REEFS AND OTHER
VULNERABLE ECOSYSTEMSIMPACTED BY CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate change poses a major threat to the world’s birds, with a quarter of
threatened species likely to have already been impacted negatively. However,
the existing global network of IBAs will remain critical for bird conservation
under a changing climate.
WHAT BIRDS TELL US
Movement away from targetAICHI
TARGET10

By 2015, the multiple
anthropogenic pressureson coral reefs, andother vulnerable
ecosystems impacted
by climate change orocean acidification areminimized, so as tomaintain their integrity
and functioning.

SOME PROGRESS…

The global network of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, if
effectively conserved, will remain resilient under climate change
Climate change is already having profound effects
on bird species, altering their behaviour, genetics,
phenology (the timing of breeding and migration),abundance and distributions (with many species
shifting their distributions to higher altitudes
and latitudes as climatic conditions change).
Such impacts pose a serious challenge to theconservation of Important Bird and Biodiversity
Areas (IBAs, Key Biodiversity Areas identified forbirds). Some of the species for which an IBA has
been identified as important may no longer beable to survive at the site once conditions become
unsuitable, while others may be able to colonise.
Average ‘turnover’ of species of conservation
concern at IBAs is projected to be 35-45% in
Sub-Saharan Africa and 33% at IBAs in Central

and South America by the end of the century.
Encouragingly, however, these continental IBA
networks are projected to remain resilient toclimate change. A total of 88-92% of species ofconservation concern in Sub-Saharan Africa and
88% in Central and South Americas are projected
to experience suitable climatic conditions by theend of the century in at least one IBA in which they
currently occur. IBAs therefore have the potential
to continue to play a key role in conservation of
birds and other biodiversity under climate change,
although a much more dynamic approach to sitemanagement objectives will be required. Sources:
Hole et al. (2009), Bagchi et al. (2013), BirdLife
International & National Audubon Society (2017).

% Species turnover
0-20
21-40
Burchell’s Sandgrouse Pterocles
burchelli lives in arid environments
throughout southern Africa, andis a priority species in several
IBAs predicted to experience highspecies turnover. Requiring regularaccess to water, climate change
is likely to cause significant range
shifts in this species.
PHOTO Derek Keats / Flickr

41-60
61-80
81-100
Important Bird and Biodiversity (IBA) networks in Sub-Saharan Africa and Central and South America, showing the ‘turnover’ in
species of conservation concern (i.e. those for which IBAs have been identified) towards the end of the century (2070 for theAmericas, 2085 for Africa) under climate change. Values represent ensemble means across three Global Climate Models and anintermediate/business as usual emissions scenario (rcp45 for the Americas, SRES B2a for Africa, underlying climate data differ forthe two studies). Sources: Hole et al. (2009), BirdLife International & National Audubon Society (2017).

30 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS

Black Skimmer Rynchops niger nests
on sandy beaches, islands, and shellbanks throughout the Americas. Sea
level rise is predicted to decrease theavailability of nesting areas, causingwidespread population declines.
PHOTO Carol Rizkalla, Florida Fish andWildlife/ Flickr…BUT TARGET NOT MET

Climate change is having substantial and largely negative
impacts on the world’s birds
The Climatic Impact indicator showsthat there has been a strong signal ofclimate change on bird population trends
in North America and Europe since 2010,
with cold-adapted species declining. One
quarter of threatened species may alreadyhave been negatively affected by recent
climate change, with declines in local
abundance, breeding success and/or survival.

160

Climatic Impact Index

150

Projected trends are alarming: almost 50%of the world’s land area will experience achange from the current avian community
assemblage to one currently occurring
elsewhere, even under a modest scenario
of greenhouse gas emissions, with 9% ofland area projected to support entirely
new communities. However, the extent ofnovel future assemblages is projected toEurope160

Increasing climatic impact on bird populations

150

140

140

130

130

120

120

110

110

100

100

90

90

80
70
1975

80

Decreasing climatic impact on bird populations

1985

1995
Year

2005

2015

70
1975

be three times larger on average and up to
12 times larger in the Neotropics, under ahigher warming scenario. These disruptions
to avian communities will likely impact
ecosystem functioning profoundly, with
important consequences for the services
that ecosystems provide to people. Sources:
Pacifici et al. (2017), Stephens et al. (2016),
Voskamp et al. (in review).

North America
Increasing climatic impact on bird populations

Decreasing climatic impact on bird populations

1985

1995

2005

2015

Year

Climatic Impact Index for Europe and North America. Source: Stephens et al. (2016) based on data from EBCC/Durham University/RSPB/University of Cambridge/BirdLife International andNorth American Breeding Bird Survey (courtesy of John Sauer USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center).

BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 31

STRATEGICGOAL CTo improve the status of biodiversity bysafeguarding ecosystems, species andgenetic diversity

32 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS

PHOTO: Chinstrap Penguin Pygoscelis antarcticus and Adelie Penguin Pygoscelis adeliae © Duncan Armour

BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 33

PROTECTING ANDCONSERVING BIODIVERSITY
Many critical sites for bird conservation have been designated asprotected areas since 2010. However, the proportion of the protected area estate
covering Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) has declined since 2010, and only 20%
of such sites identified for birds are completely covered by protected areas.
Other effective area-based conservation measures appear to be significant forconserving unprotected KBAs.
WHAT BIRDS TELL US
Some progress but target not met

AICHI
TARGET11

By 2020, at least 17
per cent of terrestrial
and inland water, and10 per cent of coastal
and marine areas,
especially areas ofparticular importancefor biodiversity andecosystem services,
are conserved througheffectively and equitably
managed, ecologically
representative and wellconnected systems ofprotected areas andother effective areabased conservation
measures, andintegrated into thewider landscapes andseascapes.

SOME PROGRESS…

Community reserves and other areabased approaches appear to be importantfor conserving Important Bird andBiodiversity Areas outside protected
areas
Target 11 introduced the concept of “other effectivearea-based conservation measures” (OECMs),
defined as 'geographically defined areas other thanProtected Areas, which are governed and managedin ways that achieve positive and sustained longterm outcomes for the in situ conservation of
biodiversity.’ Research in ten countries suggeststhat a high proportion (76.5%) of Key Biodiversity
Areas (KBAs, most of which are IBAs) that falloutside the protected area network are likely tomeet the definition of OECMs, and therefore that
their formal recognition will contribute to the longterm conservation of these sites. The conservationof ecosystem services or biodiversity was a statedmanagement aim in 73% of these potential OECMs.
Local or central government bodies managed 46%
of potential OECMs, while local and indigenous

5%

communities and private landowners managed
24% and 14% respectively. While these results
provide an encouraging picture for conservationof important sites for biodiversity outside
protected areas, further evidence is needed of theeffectiveness of these potential OECMs. Source:
Donald et al. (2019).

6%
Protecting certain natural resources
Multiple/ other6%Protecting spiritual or cultural resources

8%

50%

10%

Preventing hunting
Preventing more damaging land use
Improving land management
Protecting species directly

15%
34 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS

The Moora IBA in Western Australia supports at least 1% of
the breeding population of Endangered Carnaby’s BlackCockatoo Zanda latirostris. Local residents are helping toconserve the species in privately owned, unprotected partsof the IBA using artificial nest hollows and supplementary
feeding. PHOTO The Rainbird Photography

Proportion of potential ‘other effective area-based
conservation measures’ covering Key Biodiversity
Areas in a sample of 10 countries that promoteconservation in different ways. Source: data fromDonald et al. (2019).

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas
identified for seabirds , such as Cory's
Shearwater Calonectris borealis, haveinformed rapid expansion of the marine
protected area network since 2010.
PHOTO Franco Banfi/ Science Photo Library…BUT TARGET NOT MET

Expansion of protected area networks is failing to target
Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas
127 (32%) of these sites lack any protection,and this risks the global extinction of the
185 species confined to them. Overall, theproportion of the global protected area
estate covering KBAs (83% of which areimportant for birds) has declined from
19% to 16% since 2010. Furthermore, IBA
monitoring assessments (submitted for onethird of sites) have shown that 47% of IBAs
are in unfavourable conservation condition.
Threats are impacting the qualifying species

While the average coverage of Important
Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs, Key
Biodiversity Areas identified for birds) byprotected areas has increased from 43%
to 46% since 2010, 36% of IBAs have noformal designation as protected areas.
IBAs holding the last remaining populationof one or more highly threatened bird
species (and therefore also qualifying as
Alliance for Zero Extinction sites) havehigher coverage by protected areas, but

StateVery unfavourable

Pressure

Unfavourable

Very high0%

Near favourable

High

Negligible

Response

Favourable

MediumLow

25%(those for which the site has been identified
as an IBA) at more than half of the IBAs
monitored, yet conservation designation,
management planning, and implementationof appropriate conservation interventions
have been poor at more than 67% of IBAs.
These results show that there has been
insufficient progress in protecting andeffectively managing the most importantsites for conserving the world’s birds.

50%

Low

Medium

75%

High

100%

Percentage of IBAs
Bar charts showing the proportion of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) with different levels of State, Pressure and Conservation Responses. Note that only onethird of sites have monitoring data.

BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 35

PREVENTING
EXTINCTIONS
Many extinctions have been prevented, and extinction debt would besubstantially higher without conservation. But the extinction risk of birds overall
is increasing, showing that we have not met this target.
WHAT BIRDS TELL US
Some progress but target not met

SOME PROGRESS…

AICHITARGET

12

Conservation efforts have prevented
up to 18 bird species from going extinct
since 2010, and have slowed the effective
extinction rate by at least 40%

EXTINCT IN
THE WILD

By 2020 the extinctionof known threatened
species has been
prevented and theirconservation status,
particularly of thosemost in decline, hasbeen improved andsustained.

Since 2010, one bird species has been documented
to have gone extinct, with the Alagoas Foliagegleaner Philydor novaesi from Brazil lost in 2011.
However, an additional 9-18 bird species are
judged likely to have gone extinct if conservation
efforts for them had ceased in 2010, according toa recent analysis. For example, Fatu Hiva Monarch
Pomarea whitneyi from French Polynesia would
very likely have been driven extinct by invasive
alien rats had these not been controlled under aconservation programme, while Mangrove Finch
Geospiza heliobates from the Galalapagos Islands,
Ecuador, only survived owing to predator control
and management of introduced nest parasites. Six
species survived only in captivity, with one of these— Guam Rail Hypotaenidia owstoni — successfully
reintroduced into the wild since 2010. Overall, thenumber of bird extinctions since 2010 would havebeen 10-19 times higher without conservation.
Furthermore, the rate at which species have
moved from lower categories of risk towards

Following a successful captive breeding programme, Guam
Rail Hypotaenidia owstoni was released onto Rota and Cocos
islands, and is now breeding in the wild for the first time inmore than 30 years. PHOTO Guam Dept. Agriculture

extinction, and eventually become extinct, would
have been at least 40% higher during 1988-2016
according to another study. Finally, some species
have been reclassified as at lower risk of extinction
owing to genuine improvements in status
since 2010 resulting from conservation action.
For example, Seychelles Warbler Acrocephalus
sechellensis was translocated to Frégate Island in
2011, qualifying it for downlisting from Vulnerable
to Near Threatened in 2015. Source: Bolam et al.
(2020), Monroe et al. (2019)

Alagoas Curassow
Guam Kingfisher
Guam Rail
Hawaiian Crow
Socorro DoveSpix’s Macaw
Bali Myna
Fatu Hiva Monarch
Orange-bellied Parrot
Alagoas Antwren
Tahiti MonarchBlack Stilt
Mariana Crow
Puerto Rican Amazon
Malherbe’s Parakeet
Southern Red-breasted Plover
Mangrove Finch
Reunion Cuckooshrike

Level ofagreementHigh
Medium

0

20

40

60

80

100

Probability that extinction has been prevented
Probability that extinction of bird species would have occurred in the absence of conservation action during 2010 – 2020. Source: Bolam et al. (2020).

36 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS

High rates of deforestation and huntingpressure resulted in the Great Hornbill Buceros
bicornis being uplisted from Near Threatened
to Vulnerable in the 2018 IUCN Red List. PHOTO
Francesco Veronesi/ Flickr...BUT TARGET NOT MET

0.8985Overall, the conservation status of the world’s
birds has worsened since 2010

0.906
Red List Index of species survival

The world’s birds are now at greater risk ofextinction than in 2010, according to the Red
List Index. This is because the number of species
moving to higher categories of risk on the IUCNRed List as a result of accelerating declines, falling
populations and shrinking ranges has outweighed
the number moving to lower categories as a resultof slower declines or recovery. Trends for different
regions and ecosystems show that declines arepervasive, with species in Oceania and the marine
environment being most threatened overall. These
trends in survival probability are complemented bytrends in population abundance shown by the Wild
Bird Index, indicating that the average population
abundance of habitat specialist bird species
has declined by 60% since 1980 in European
farmland, and by 42% and 37% since 1968 in North
American grassland and aridland respectively.
Sources: Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring
Scheme (European Bird Census Council/BirdLife
International/RSPB/CSO); North American Breeding
Bird Survey (courtesy of John Sauer USGS Patuxent
Wildlife Research Center).

0.89800.89750.89700.904
0.902

0.89650.8960
2010

2012

2014

2016

0.900
0.898
0.896
1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016
Year

Red List Index of species survival for the world’s birds. A value of 1.0 indicates that all species
are Least Concern, while a value of 0 indicates that all species have gone extinct.

BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 37

MAINTAINING GENETIC
DIVERSITY IN CROPS, LIVESTOCK
AND WILD RELATIVES
Wild relatives of domesticated species may provide genetic diversity that isessential to food security in an uncertain future. However, their extinction risk isincreasing owing to a variety of threats.
WHAT BIRDS TELL US
0.8825

Some progress but target not met

0.882013

By 2020, the genetic
diversity of cultivatedplants and farmed anddomesticated animals
and of wild relatives,
including other socioeconomically as wellas culturally valuablespecies, is maintained,
and strategies havebeen developedand implemented
for minimizing
genetic erosion andsafeguarding their
genetic diversity.

TARGET NOT MET

0.8815Wild relatives of farmed anddomesticated bird species are becoming
increasingly threatened
Eleven bird species are farmed and domesticated,
ranging from the ubiquitous chicken, bred fromRed Junglefowl Gallus gallus, to quail, pheasant,and turkey. Together, these provide an importantsource of nutrition for the human population. There
are 449 bird species that are wild relatives of thesefarmed and domesticated species. One in five (19%)
of wild bird relatives are presently threatened,
including eight that are Critically Endangered. The
Red List Index for these wild relatives declined by
2.02% between 1988 and 2016, showing that these
species are being driven towards extinction. Thisfinding is important because these species containgenetic diversity that may allow the developmentof more productive, nutritious, and resilient breeds,
which is significant given the likely impacts ofglobal change on the animal populations we rely
on for food. Source: McGowan et al. (2018).

Red Junglefowl Gallus gallus is theancestor of the domestic chicken– now one of the most common
and widespread domestic animals.
Although listed as Least Concern,
the Red Junglefowl population is
declining owing to habitat loss
and over-hunting. PHOTO Panu
Ruangjan/ Shutterstock.com

38 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS

0.88100.8805Red list index of species survival

AICHI
TARGET

0.8800
2010

2012

2014

2016

0.890
0.888
0.886
0.884
0.882
0.880

1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016

Red List Index of species survival for wild relatives of farmed
and domesticated birds (449 species). A value of 1.0 indicatesthat all species are Least Concern, while a value of 0 indicatesthat all species have gone extinct.

Domestic turkeys originatedfrom the Wild Turkey Meleagris
gallopavo, native to the USA.
Turkeys produce a large quantity ofmeat for relatively low production
costs, and are therefore a popularform of poultry worldwide. PHOTO
Allan Hack/ Flickr

All birds

W ild relatives
Extinct
Extinct in the Wild
Critically Endangered
Endangered
Vulnerable
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Data Deficient

BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 39

STRATEGICGOAL D
Enhance the benefits to all frombiodiversity and ecosystem services

40 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS

PHOTO: Young Nigerian farmer © I am zews/ Shutterstock.com

BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 41

SAFEGUARDING AND RESTORINGECOSYSTEMS THAT PROVIDEESSENTIAL SERVICES
Conserving important sites for birds often generates benefits for people.
While birds provide important ecosystem services such as pollination and seeddispersal, global declines in the status of avian pollinators indicate that theecosystems they depend upon are not being adequately safeguarded.
WHAT BIRDS TELL US
Some progress but target not met

By 2020, ecosystems
that provide essential
services, including
services related to water,
and contribute to health,
livelihoods and wellbeing, are restored andsafeguarded, taking into
account the needs ofwomen, indigenous andlocal communities, andthe poor and vulnerable.

Conservation of important sites forbirds typically benefits people as well as
biodiversity
Globally, Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas(IBAs, Key Biodiversity Areas identified forbirds) provide a multitude of benefits to people(‘ecosystem services’), such as the provisionof clean water, food, flood protection andclimate regulation. However, most of these sites
face human-induced threats, impacting bothbiodiversity and the provision of these services.
Increasingly, data are being mobilised to inform
decision-makers on the changes in ecosystemservice flows and their values under different
potential management or land-use options. These
often show that conservation and restoration ofsites of importance for birds delivers net-positive
outcomes for people as well as biodiversity. For
example, an assessment by Bird Conservation
Nepal (the national BirdLife partner) using
the Toolkit for Ecosystem Services Site-based
Assessment showed that protecting Shivapuri
National Park yields higher net benefits ($11 million/

ou
ris
m

d
se
ba
reu
t
a
N

t

1 G
r

Protection

lt
Cu

iv
at
ed
go
ods

0

Water provision
0.25 0.5
0.75

sequestration
gas
se
ou
nh
ee

sequestration
gas
se
ou
nh
ee

42 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS

No Protection

lt
Cu

Differences in the value of annual
flows of different ecosystem services
provided by Shivapuri National Park
under protection compared withconversion to agriculture. A value of
1 equates to the maximum value ineither state for each service. Notethat water quality and provision arevalued in biophysical metrics, not inmonetary terms. Source: data fromPeh et al. (2016) http://tessa.tools.

yr) than conversion to agriculture (the most likely
alternative land-use; $4.9 million/yr), mainly driven
by the value of carbon sequestration for climate
regulation, as well as other net benefits thatwere not quantified in monetary terms, such as
reduction of soil erosion and provision of nearly
60% of the annual freshwater requirements for 2.5
million people. Source: Peh et al. (2016).

1 G
r

Water
qua
lity

0

Water provision
0.25 0.5
0.75

Protection of the Shivapuri National Park ensures the ongoingprovision of ecosystem services to communities downstream,
while allowing the sustainable harvesting of natural resources
by local people. PHOTO Göran Höglund/ Flickr

iv
at
ed
go
ods

ou
ris
m

14

SOME PROGRESS…

Water
qua
lity

AICHI
TARGET

d
se
ba
reu
t
a
N

t

Hummingbirds are importantpollinators, but many are in decline.
The Santa Marta Blossomcrown
Anthocephala floriceps is restricted
to north and south-east slopes of
the Sierra Nevada de Santa Martain Colombia. Only around 15% of its
original premontane evergreen forest
habitat remains intact, leaving a small
and fragmented population.
PHOTO Martin Mecnarowski/
Shutterstock.com

0.9145…BUT TARGET NOT MET

0.9140

Birds that pollinate plants are in decline,with implications for ecosystem functions
and services

0.91300.91250.9120
Red List of species survival

Birds provide a variety of ecosystem services,
ranging from control of invertebrate and mammal
pest species, to seed dispersal, pollination, carrion
removal and disease regulation. For example, avian
control of the coffee berry borer on coffee farms
in Jamaica has been estimated to be worth US$310
per hectare. Birds are important for pollination of
flowering plants in 65 families, including at least 50
crop and medicinal plant species. Over 1,000 bird
species (including hummingbirds, honeyeaters,
sunbirds and white-eyes) have been identified aspollinators. However, the status of these species
is declining, with more species moving towardextinction than away from it, as shown by the Red
List Index for pollinators. This shows that we havefailed to safeguard and restore ecosystems thatprovide essential services. Sources: Cronk & Ojeda(2008), Johnson et al. (2010), Nabhan & Buchmann(1997), Regan et al. (2015).

0.9135

0.920

2010

2012

2014

2016

0.918
0.916
0.914
0.912
0.910

1988

1992

1996

2000
Year

2004

2008

2012

2016

Red List Index of species survival for pollinator birds (1,089 species). A value of 1.0 indicates that all
species are Least Concern, while a value of 0 indicates that all species have gone extinct.

BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 43

t

ENHANCING ECOSYSTEMRESILIENCE AND THE
CONTRIBUTION OF BIODIVERSITYTO CARBON STOCKS
Considerable deforestation in Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) since2010 shows that the contribution of biodiversity to carbon stocks in IBAs has
not been maintained, let alone enhanced. However, terrestrial IBAs contain
substantial carbon stocks and are disproportionately important for habitat
restoration, suggesting that safeguarding and restoring these sites would benefit
birds and climate change mitigation and adaptation.
WHAT BIRDS TELL US
Some progress but target not met

AICHI
TARGET15

By 2020, ecosystem
resilience and thecontribution of
biodiversity to carbon
stocks has beenenhanced, throughconservation andrestoration, including
restoration of at least
15 per cent of degradedecosystems, thereby
contributing to climatechange mitigation
and adaptationand to combating
desertification.

SOME PROGRESS…

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas contain almost
9% of the world’s terrestrial carbon stocks and are
disproportionately important for habitat restoration
Terrestrial Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas(IBAs, Key Biodiversity Areas identified for birds)
contain almost 9% of the world’s terrestrial carbon
stocks, based on datasets on above- and belowground biomass and soil organic carbon. Asia andNorth and South America are especially notable
for their large volumes of carbon in IBAs. IBAs also
provide disproportionate opportunities for habitat
restoration. Although they cover less than 9% of
the terrestrial surface, IBAs contain nearly 12% ofpriority areas for habitat restoration (based on a‘multicriteria optimisation approach’ accounting

for benefits to habitats for species, carbon
sequestration and costs). Restoration of theselocations could sequester considerable volumesof CO², as well as benefiting the species forwhich they have been identified as internationallysignificant. Safeguarding and restoring IBAs
therefore offers dual benefits for biodiversity
conservation and climate change mitigation.
Sources: Strassburg et al. (2020), and analysis ofa global layer compiled by UNEP-WCMC from
Bouvet et al. (2018), ESA (2017), Hengl (2017),
Santoro (2018), Spawn et al. (2017), Xia et al. (2014).

Location of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas overlapping with priority locations (top 15% of cells) for habitat restoration.
Source: analysis of data from Strassburg et al. (2020).

44 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS

Peatlands cover only around three
percent of the earth’s surface, yetstore twice as much carbon as theworld’s forests. IBAs containing peatbog are therefore important not only
as habitat for species such as EurasianGolden Plover Pluvialis apricaria, butalso for carbon sequestration.
PHOTO Tim Melling/ Flickr…BUT TARGET NOT MET

100

More than 100,000 km² of forest in
Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas has
been lost since 2010

4000
3000
2000

60
40
20
0
30
.14
40 0
.15
50 0
.16
60 0
.17
70 0
.18
80 0
.190 90
.110
0

5000
Number of IBAs

1000
0

010
10
.120
20
.130
30
.140
40
.150
50
.160
60
.170
70
.180
80
.190
90
.110
0

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs, Key
Biodiversity Areas identified for birds) are sites thatare critical for the conservation of birds, and form
the majority of Key Biodiversity Areas identified
to date. Since 2010, a total of 100,286 km² — 3.4%of the tree-cover in these sites — has been lost,with 134 sites having lost more than a quarter and34 sites having lost more than half of their treecover. This represents a reduction in ecosystem
resilience and substantial loss of carbon stocks, aswell as having negative impacts on the bird species
for which these IBAs have been identified. Whilesome sites have benefitted from forest restoration
efforts, overall the contribution of biodiversity tocarbon stocks in IBAs has not been maintainedsince 2010, let alone enhanced.

80

Percentage of tree-cover lost (%)
Number of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas with different proportions of tree-cover loss since 2010.

BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 45

STRATEGICGOAL E
Enhance implementation through participatory
planning, knowledge management andcapacity building

46 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS

PHOTO: Volunteers round up flamingo chicks for tagging at Fuente de Piedra Lake,© Age fotostock/ Alamy Stock Photo

BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 47

TRADITIONALKNOWLEDGE
Birds form an integral and prominent component of traditional knowledge
systems in many parts of the world, contributing to nature conservation. In
the Middle East, birds are inspiring the revival of a traditional system of land
designation and management to benefit both biodiversity and local communities.
WHAT BIRDS TELL US
Some progress but target not met

AICHI
TARGET18

By 2020, the traditional
knowledge, innovations
and practices ofindigenous and local
communities relevant
for the conservationand sustainable useof biodiversity, andtheir customary use of
biological resources, arerespected, subject tonational legislation andrelevant international
obligations, and fully
integrated and reflectedin the implementationof the Convention withthe full and effective
participation ofindigenous and local
communities, at all
relevant levels.

SOME PROGRESS…

Many Important Bird and Biodiversity
Areas overlap with or are completely
within indigenous lands
The 13,000 Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas(IBAs, Key Biodiversity Areas identified for birds)
identified to date represent the most importantsites for conserving the world's birds. At least
2,184 IBAs (17%) overlap partially or completely
with lands that Indigenous Peoples manage or forwhich they have tenure rights, and nearly onefifth of the entire area of the IBA network (3.4
million km², 19%) falls within such lands. This meansthat there are considerable opportunities for the
traditional knowledge, innovations and practices
of Indigenous Peoples and local communities
to be integrated into the conservation of thesesites. This is happening through the involvementof Indigenous Peoples and local communities in
the governance and management of protectedareas overlapping these locations, or throughstewardship of 'other effective area-based
conservation measures' by Indigenous Peoples andlocal communities. Source: Garnett et al. (2018),
World Database of Key Biodiversity Areas.

Completeoverlap (826)Partialoverlap(1,354)

7%
10%

83%

No overlap (11,060)

Number of IBAs overlapping
indigenous lands

Within indigenous lands(3.4 million km²)

19%

81%

Outside indigenous lands (14.9 million km²)

Women from the Callería community
in the Peruvian Amazon rainforest
harvest bark to make traditional dyesfor textiles. There is a strong focus onsustainable harvesting to ensure theongoing health of the forest. PHOTO
Juan Carlos Huayllapuma, CIFOR/ Flickr

48 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS

Area of IBAs overlapping
indigenous lands
Proportion of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) thatpartially or completely overlap with indigenous lands, andproportion of total IBA area falling within indigenous lands.
Source: Analysis of data in Garnett et al. (2018) and the World
Database of Key Biodiversity Areas

The Society for the Protectionof Nature in Lebanon (BirdLife in
Lebanon) works with local farmers
to ensure environmentally friendly
production and sustainable use ofnatural resources at Hima sites.
PHOTO UNDP

Location of Himasites in Lebanon
Himas
Rivers...AND FURTHER POSITIVE TRENDS
Reviving a traditional community
management system called Hima is
helping conserve birds and otherbiodiversity in the Middle East

Palm Islands Nature Reserve

Upper Mountainsof Akkar-Donnieh

Semi Desertsof Ras Baalbek

Horsh Ehden Nature Reserve
Hima means 'protected area' in Arabic.
Dating back to the sixth century, it is a
Tannourine Nature Reserve
community-based system of land designationin the Middle East where people manage
Bentael forest area
natural areas and protect them from overexploitation. Hima is a system for organizing,
maintaining, regulating, and using natural
Jabal Moussa Mountainpasture and rangelands to fit with local
ecosystems and practices. Decisions
about Hima management are made by the
Rim - Sannine Mountaincommunities themselves, and balance strict
Beirut River Valley
protection and sustainable use. Having
evolved to absorb and accommodate local,
Ramlieh Valley
Hima Anjar Kfar Zabad
political, social, religious and economic
Aammiq wetland
circumstance, Himas can help deliver
Shouf Cedars
Nature Reserve
conservation in ways that respect and fulfil
people's rights and help to deliver livelihoods,
Lake Qaraoun
food, water, as well as other other ecosystemservices and cultural values. Since 2004,
the Society for the Protection of Naturein Lebanon (BirdLife in Lebanon) has been
Hima Ebel es-Saqi
promoting the revival of Hima to support
the conservation of Important Bird andBiodiversity Areas (Key Biodiversity Areas
identified for birds) both nationally andacross the Middle East, including atsites such as the Iraqi Marshes.

0
0

10

20 km
10

20 mi

BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 49

IMPROVING AND SHARINGKNOWLEDGE OF BIODIVERSITY
Knowledge of the status, trends and value of birds is increasing and being sharedever more effectively, helping to define the conservation actions required, setpriorities, and track progress.
WHAT BIRDS TELL US
Some progress but target not met

SOME PROGRESS…

AICHITARGET

19

More research is published on birds thanfor any other taxonomic group
We know substantially more about birds, including
their values, functioning, status and trends, thanany other taxonomic group. Since 2010, ourknowledge of birds has expanded considerably.
A “Web of Science” keyword search reveals thatduring 2010–2020, over 75,000 articles were
published in academic journals with the word
“bird” in the title or abstract—an increase of morethan 70% since the previous decade. Of these,
3,087—an average of six articles per week—focused
specifically on biodiversity conservation. Decisions
informed by this unparalleled knowledge on
the world’s birds, the threats they face and theconservation actions required benefit not only
birds, but also a range of less well-studied taxa.
Source: Web of Science (2020).

By 2020, knowledge,
the science base andtechnologies relating tobiodiversity, its values,
functioning, status
and trends, and theconsequences of its loss,
are improved, widely
shared and transferred,
and applied.

Bird ringing (or banding) generates a wealth of informationon the survival, productivity, and movements of birds. For
example the British Trust for Ornithology oversees theringing of over 900,000 birds per year in Britain and Ireland.
PHOTO Samuel Rogers

309

Birds
171

Mammals121

Insects90

Amphibians
52

Reptiles45

Corals30

Flowering plants
Spiders

24

Sharks & rays

24

Bryophytes

Simple observational studies
have allowed us to learn more
about the behaviour, ecology,
and population trends of birds
than any other comparable
group of animals. PHOTO M.K.
Poulsen15

Molluscs 12
Nematodes

5

Sponges3

Echinoderms

2

Annelids

2

Green algae

1Bony fish

1

The average number of conservation articles published in academic journals per taxonomic group each year since 2010. Source: Web of Science (2020)

50 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS

With over 46 million birdwatchers
in the USA alone, birdwatching is
one of the most popular hobbies in
the world. The observations madeby both amateurs and seasoned
birders provide invaluable data to
the scientific community. PHOTO
Barend van Gemerden...AND FURTHER POSITIVE TRENDS

Citizen scientists are increasingly mobilising and sharing data on the occurrence
and abundance of birds, enabling innovative approaches to their conservation.
Birdwatchers across the world areincreasingly using online platforms andmobile applications to log their sightings.
Tools such as BirdTrack and BirdLasser
enable individuals to keep a record of
their sightings, share these with the wider
birding community and contribute to thecompilation of large datasets which canbe used for research and conservation. The
eBird platform has become the largest, withover 737 million bird sightings now enteredinto the system. This includes more than 140
million in 2019 alone; with more than 27,200
bird observations per hour in May 2019 forexample. In total, eBird data comprise morethan 40% of all the biodiversity data in the
Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
A ‘Global Big Day’ on 4 May 2019 set newrecords for citizen science, when 35,000
birders collectively noted 6,955 species ofbirds, reporting 91,000 checklists from 174
countries. Furthermore, users uploaded
more than 4.7 million photos and 135,000
sounds to the system with their checklists
in 2019. These data are increasingly being
used for research and conservation, forexample to track occupancy trends,
monitor migratory movements, and model
distributions. Source: Team eBird (2019).

Observations (Millions)

160

120

80

40

0
2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

Year
Number of observations (millions) submitted to eBird each year. Source: data provided by Team eBird, Feb 2020.

BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 51

MOBILISING RESOURCES FOR
IMPLEMENTING THE CBD
The actions needed to conserve birds are better understood than for othergroups, enabling effective targeting of conservation resources. At the sametime, birds are increasingly engaging and inspiring individuals, companies andorganisations to provide financial support for conservation of threatened species.
WHAT BIRDS TELL US
Some progress but target not met

AICHI
TARGET20

By 2020, at the latest,
the mobilization offinancial resources for
effectively implementing
the Strategic Plan for
Biodiversity 2011-2020
from all sources, andin accordance withthe consolidated andagreed process in theStrategy for Resource
Mobilization, should
increase substantiallyfrom the current levels.

SOME PROGRESS…

The EU LIFE programme has funded
more projects on birds than on any othertaxonomic group
The European Union (EU) Birds Directive isthe oldest piece of EU legislation on theenvironment, and a cornerstone of much of the
EU’s environmental policy. Adopted in April 1979,
it reflected Member States’ recognition that the
only way to protect many bird species and theirhabitats is by working together across borders. The
Directive addresses many serious threats to theconservation of wild birds, including habitat loss/
degradation and illegal persecution, and requires
Member States to designate and manage Special
Protection Areas for threatened and migratory
species. The LIFE programme is the EU’s funding
instrument for the environment and climate
action, with a current budget of €3.4 billion for theperiod 2014-2020. Since its inception in 1992, LIFE
projects have been instrumental in implementing
the Birds Directive and conserving bird species,
by preventing or reversing declines and avoiding

Birds 566

Mammals 321

In 2017, organisations from 14 countries joined forces ina five-year EU LIFE-funded project to save the Balkan
population of the Endangered Egyptian Vulture Neophron
percnopterus, including through supplementary feeding toincrease survival. PHOTO Svetoslav Mitkov

extinctions. Between 1992 and 2017, birds were thetargeted beneficiaries of 566 LIFE projects (33%of all those funded), with a total budget of €500
million, reflecting their high conservation profile.
Source: https://ec.europa.eu/easme/en/news/lifeand-birds-40-years-eu-birds-directive

Invertebrates 321

Fish 321

Amphibians 142

Reptiles 94

Molluscs 71

Vascular plants 159

Non-vascular plants 16

Number of LIFE projects targeting different taxonomic groups (1992-2017). Source: https://ec.europa.eu/easme/en/news/life-and-birds-40-years-eu-birds-directive

52 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETSPh oto: B

ri a nSu

P hot o: MiglA

P ho to
n

: df

au

Ph oto:
ld

Pix

ab

ay

er

iv

ge

ll

ue

lP

an

̃a E sent év ez

Northern
Bald Ibis

Red-breasted
Goose

io

AfricanPenguin

in

am

ir m

sB

alk

P h oto: Chri

P hot o: Prajw

Da

P h oto: Dic k

P hot o: Ju a n

Hooded
Grebe

gh

m

ls

gg

Gran Canaria Blue
Chaffinch

ni e

Ra

Ma

ría

Belding’s
Yellowthroat

Great Indian
Bustard

KakapoThreatened bird species that have directly benefitted from resources mobilised from companies and individuals enrolling as BirdLife Species Champions to support nature
conservation. Orange circles indicate approximate centre of species’ breeding range or location of projects supported.

...AND FURTHER POSITIVE TRENDS

Birds are inspiring companies and individuals to
support conservation of threatened species
Philanthropic donations provide one sourceof funding for biodiversity conservation, andbirds help to enthuse and engage donors
to pledge support. For example, since 2007,
over 100 companies and individuals haveenrolled as ‘BirdLife Species Champions’to help promote and finance targeted
conservation action for globally threatened
species by the BirdLife Partnership. Morethan £5 million has been raised from theirsponsorship and philanthropy through
BirdLife’s Preventing Extinctions Programme(PEP). To date, 103 bird species have directly
benefited from Species Champions – but byleveraging their support, the overall numberof species benefitting from funding secured
through PEP and the Partnership is muchhigher. Support from Species Champions

has enabled the development of numerous
larger projects to further the conservationof threatened species and their habitats. For
every pound or dollar provided by Species
Champions, at least five times as much has
been leveraged. Nevertheless, total funding
from all sources for bird conservation
requires scaling up by an order of magnitude
in order to match estimated needs.
BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 53

KEY IMPLICATIONS FOR
THE POST-2020 GLOBAL
BIODIVERSITY FRAMEWORKAs well as quantifying progress (or failure) and highlighting successes
and good news stories in relation to the Aichi Targets, data from birds
can inform the development and implementation of the post-2020
Global Biodiversity Framework and its targets.
he rich data from birds show thatwhile we have failed to meet mostof the Aichi Targets – and indeed
the overarching mission to halt theloss of biodiversity by 2020 - there
are also positive examples and success stories,
with encouraging trends in particular places, forsubsets of species, or for particular aspects. These
results also provide valuable insights for the next
set of biodiversity commitments: the goals, targets
and implementation of the post-2020 Global
Biodiversity Framework that is under negotiation
through the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Here we summarise the key implications.

T

1. The new framework needs a clear,communicable, overarching aim,
comparable to the Paris Agreement's goal
to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C. The
2020 mission was lengthy, lacked the clarity
needed to focus political attention and wasinsufficiently ambitious. The stakes are now
far higher, and only transformational change
across society will enable us to achieve the2050 vision of living in harmony with nature.
The new mission must be clear that we must
not only halt the loss of biodiversity but start
to recover it by 2030, in order to ensure fullrecovery by 2050.
2. There needs to be a clear ‘theory of change’
mapping a pathway to achieve this mission,
distinguishing outcome-focused aims – whichshould deliver against the three over-archinggoals of the Convention (conservation,
sustainable use and equitable sharing ofgenetic benefits of biodiversity) and the threelevels of biodiversity (ecosystem, species andgenetic) – from action-orientated targets anda set of enabling conditions.
3. Ultimately, the plan needs to prevent
extinctions, recover the abundance anddiversity of life, and retain and restore
ecosystem integrity with key biodiversity
areas at the core, so that all people andnature can thrive.

The health of our planet is dependent on the development of clear, ambitious, outcomeorientated goals which address the needs of both nature and people. PHOTO NASA

54 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS

4. New targets must not only be more
ambitious in certain areas, but criticallymuch more ‘SMART’ – specific, measurable,
ambitious, realistic and time-bound – sothat the action needed is clear and progress
can be tracked. Here, we highlight some key
elements that the new goals and targets
need to contain.

The post-2020 framework must
focus on maintaining the diversityof life and restoring ecosystem
function, particularly in Key
Biodiversity Areas.
PHOTO Pale-billed Araçari
Pteroglossus erythropygius,
Murray Cooper

BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 55

GOALS AND TARGETS
Ambitious, outcome-orientated goalsA goal on retaining and restoring ecosystems
is critical, leading to an overall increase inarea, integrity and connectivity of terrestrial,
freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems
while ensuring no loss of key areas forbiodiversity.
A goal focused on species is also needed
to safeguard the diversity and recover theabundance of life, containing three elements:
to halt human-induced species extinctions
from 2020, reduce the overall risk of species
extinctions by 20% by 2030 and to zero by
2050, and increase the average population
abundance of native species by 20% by 2030
and recover 1970 levels by 2050.
A goal on maintaining and enhancing genetic
diversity should apply to wild species as wellas domestic species.
A goal on nature’s benefits to people mustensure that these benefits are provided
sustainably, making explicit the role ofbiodiversity in addressing both climate change
and sustainable development agendas.

Targets to conserve species, sites and ecosystemsA target on area-based conservation measures
should specifically aim to document, effectively
conserve and restore the value of all key
biodiversity areas and other sites of particularimportance for biodiversity, through at least
30% of the total land and sea area underwell-connected and integrated networks ofprotected areas and other effective area-based
conservation measures.
A n action-orientated target on species should
address the need for active management, bothin situ and ex situ as required, for species whose
continued survival depends on such actions, toenable species recovery and conservation.
Targets to reduce threats to biodiversityA target on direct exploitation of wild species
must ensure that any such use is sustainable,
effectively regulated, legal and governed byecosystem-based approaches, with impacts
from harvesting kept within safe ecological limits,
and avoiding detrimental impacts to non-target
species.
A target on invasive alien species should aim toeradicate or control invasive alien species in key
areas for biodiversity, and on 50% of all oceanicislands where they impact on native species.
A target to reduce pollution should encompass
all sources of pollution, including marine debris,chemicals, and artificial light (which represent
threats to some bird species of conservation
concern).
Targets for meeting people’s needsA target on climate change and disaster-risk
reduction should promote the implementation ofnature-based solutions that sustain, enhance or
support biodiversity as part of climate mitigation
and adaptation and disaster-risk reduction
pathways, while avoiding negative impacts on
biodiversity or local people.

Area-based conservation measures should prioritise currently unprotected Key Biodiversity Areas, such as
Gunung Sahendaruman on the Indonesian island of Sangihe, which supports several globally threatened species
including Elegant Sunbird Aethopyga duyvenbodei. PHOTO Rob Martin

56 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS

A target on sustainable management and useof wild species must be adopted across sectoral
policies and practices, with the emphasis on
ensuring biological sustainability.

Spending time in biodiverse
greenspaces provides multiple
benefits for our physical andmental well-being.
PHOTO Everst/ Shutterstock.com

A target on agricultural and other managed
ecosystems should focus on sustainable
use that fosters improved food security andnutrition while avoiding perverse outcomes forbiodiversity.
A target on the maintenance and enhancementof regulating ecosystem services should
promote the implementation of ‘biodiversityinclusive’ nature-based solutions, and accountfor all forms of regulating services, recognising
the importance of retention and restoration of
ecosystems in achieving this.
A target on benefits for health and well-being
should focus on the quality of and access tobiodiverse blue and green spaces, including
their ability to deliver biodiversity benefits, local
climate adaptation and mitigation, clean air andwater, and improved food security.
Targets promoting the enabling conditions for
implementationA target on mainstreaming and economic
reform must place biodiversity values
and safeguards at the heart of decisionmaking, with adoption of biodiversityinclusive approaches across all sectors, forexample, comprehensively applied Strategic
Environmental Assessments (SEAs) and
Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs).
A nother target must promote fully sustainablesupply chains in production systems, toreduce the ecological footprint of production
and consumption, explicitly encompassing all
actors.
A n ambitious target on resource mobilisation isneeded to ensure sufficient financial resources
are provided to support efficient and effective
implementation of all targets.
A target on information sharing needs
to ensure full availability of up-to-datebiodiversity data for all indicators used toassess progress towards the goals and targets,and that these indicators are available atnational scale to allow government and civilsociety assessment of progress.
A target on participation must encompass
full, effective and equitable inclusion in
the decision-making process, recognising thedifferent forms participation can take, including‘informing’ and ‘empowering’.

BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 57

Being well-known, relatively
straightforward to monitor, occurring
worldwide in virtually all habitats, andsensitive to environmental change,
birds are excellent biodiversity
indicators. PHOTO Orange-eared
Tanager Chlorochrysa calliparaea,
Murray Cooper

58 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETSINDICATORS FOR
MEASURING PROGRESS
As for the Aichi Targets, data from birds provide a range ofindicators for measuring progress towards the goals andtargets of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Key
metrics derived from or drawing on bird data include:
The number of extinctions
The number of extinctions prevented through conservation action

The Red List Index of species survival, showing trends in the overall
extinction risk of species, based on data from the IUCN Red List*S ubsets of the Red List Index showing trends for particular suitesof species relevant to individual targets, for example marine,
forest-specialist, migratory or pollinator species
 ubsets of the Red List Index showing trends driven byS
particular threats, such as utilisation, trade, invasive alien
species, fisheries or pollution
The Wild Bird Index showing trends in population abundance,and subsets of the index, for example for farmland species
The Climatic Impact Index, showing climate change impacts on
bird population trends
Protected area coverage of Key Biodiversity Areas*

Proportion of Key Biodiversity Areas in favourable condition*Indicators also used to track progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 59TARGETS ARE IMPORTANT,BUT IMPLEMENTATION IS KEY
Finance and funding
4. The underlying core biodiversity datasets,such as those on Key Biodiversity Areas andthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, andthe monitoring programmes that underpin
them, such as those for threatened andcommon species, require specific resourcing,as well as spatially explicit national
conservation and development strategies
to guide planning and implementation by
governments and business.
5. More widely, governments and the private
sector must incorporate the true value ofnature into economic systems and redirect
financial flows away from activities that harm
biodiversity towards those that protect,
restore and manage it sustainably, removing
harmful subsidies, valuing natural capital andinvesting in nature-based solutions.
Patricia Zurita, CEO of BirdLife
International, highlights the importanceof birds as ambassadors for nature at the2018 High-Level Political Forum. PHOTO
Franz Dejon/IISD

hile we have shown that ambitious,
focused, ‘SMART’ targets are
critical, the greatest failure of
the current Strategic Plan for
Biodiversity has not been thetargets themselves, but the lack of implementation.
The following set of enabling conditions must be
addressed if we are to have any hope of reversing
biodiversity loss:

W

Monitoring, reporting and verification
1. A
 n improved and transparent meansof planning, monitoring, reporting andverification is needed to ensure theframework as a whole is delivered.
2. G
 lobal targets and indicators must betranslated into measurable and binding
national equivalents so that we can add up
and track the contributions of individual
countries towards shared goals.
Adequately resourced
implementation strategies
3. C lear implementation strategies are essential
to map out the route to achieve individual
targets, identifying actors, actions, milestones
and resources needed, supported by capacity
development and funding.

60 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS

A framework for all
6. Biodiversity must be 'mainstreamed' more
effectively across society. The post-2020
Global Biodiversity Framework is intended
to be a ‘framework for all’ of society(governments, business and citizens,
including women, youth and Indigenous
Peoples and local communities) andthrough a ‘whole-of-government’ approach,including at local level. Both inter- and intragenerational equity is needed to ensure thatdecision-making and implementation are
inclusive and effective.
Nature for climate and development
7. While being developed under the CBD, the
new framework is envisaged as a UN-wideplan, and needs to transform how wevalue nature and unlock its full potential inunderpinning the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement on
climate, both developed in 2015 with 2030 asa key milestone.
8. The new framework should commit Parties
to incorporate nature-based solutions toclimate change that protect and restore
biodiversity and ecosystem integrity into
both National Biodiversity Strategies andDelegates to the 13th Conference of the Parties to theConvention on the Conservation of Migratory Species applaud
the signing of the Gandhinagar Declaration. PHOTO Franz
Dejon/IISD

Action Plans (NBSAPs) and Nationally
Determined Contributions (NDCs) to meetthe Paris Agreement. Where relevant, targets
and indicators should replicate or build on
those used for the SDGs. Implementationof the new framework must be central tothe upcoming UN Decade on Ecosystem
Restoration and UN Decade of Action on the
SDGs.
International cooperation
9. Synergies between the post-2020 Global
Biodiversity Framework and other global
policy processes are essential because
biodiversity loss, climate change, land andmarine degradation, the deprivation ofhuman rights and unsustainable development
are inseparable challenges caused byinterdependent drivers. Parties and others
therefore need to work together to raise
the profile, relevance and integration of theframework with such processes, such as:		T he ‘Gandhinagar Declaration’ of theConvention on Migratory Species,
which highlighted the importance ofinternational cooperation throughthe post-2020 framework to ensurethat conservation and development
is undertaken considering ecologicalconnectivity, including across nationalboundaries or along entire flyways.

		International coordination on conserving
biodiversity in the high seas (areas beyond
national jurisdiction, which cover nearly
50% of the planet and 70% of the oceans),
including through a new UN treaty
currently under negotiation.

"TH E COMIN G YEA RS WILL BE A
VITAL PERIOD TO SA VE TH E P LAN ET
A N D TO A CHIEVE SUSTAIN ABLE,
IN CLUSIVE HUMA N DEVELOP MEN T"

As this report demonstrates, individual successes
show that we have the knowledge and tools
to turn things around, but transformativechange, through stronger and sustained politicalcommitment and coordinated action acrosssociety, is urgently needed to safeguard andrestore the biodiversity on which we depend. We
are at a pivotal moment in human history. The
UN Secretary-General recently warned that “thecoming years will be a vital period to save theplanet and to achieve sustainable, inclusive humandevelopment”. An ambitious, effective post-2020
Global Biodiversity Framework is absolutely
essential to ensure that this coming decade is
the one in which we change our relationship withnature, for the sake of all people and the planet.

International cooperation is vital for
conserving the biodiversity of thehigh seas, which provide feeding
grounds to a wide range of marine
species. PHOTO Humpback Whale
Megaptera novaeangliae, Francois
Gohier/ Alamy Stock Photo

BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 61

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62 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETSSTATE OF THE WORLD’S BIRDS

Birds are better known and more widely studied than any other comparable
group of organisms. By collating and analysing bird data, we can not only
understand their condition, but are also afforded an unparalleled insight into
the health of the biosphere as a whole. In effect, birds enable us to “take thepulse of the planet”.
The long-running State of the World’s Birds series of reports and webresources, generously supported by the Aage V. Jensen Charity Foundation,
has informed much of BirdLife’s data collation and analysis. Most crucially,
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communicated around the world—both influencing global policy andinforming on-the-ground conservation action.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2020) Birds and biodiversity targets:
what do birds tell us about progress to the Aichi Targets and requirements
for the post-2020 biodiversity framework? A State of the World’s Birds report.
Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International.
ISBN no. 978-1-912086-67-2
Credits
Senior editors: Stuart Butchart, Tris Allinson
Assistant editor: Lucy Haskell
Compilers
Stuart Butchart, Tris Allinson, Noëlle Kümpel, Shannon Anstee, Harriet Bradley,
Ian Burfield, Olivia Crowe, Maria Dias, Paul Donald, John Fanshawe, Vicky
Jones, Lizzie Pearmain, Anne-Sophie Pellier, Eugenie Regan, Ashley Simkins.
DesignRichard Hood, Simon Middleweek
Front cover image: Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris, awinner at the 2017 Bird Photographer of the Year Competitionwww.birdpoty.co.uk PHOTO Jessica WinterAcknowledgements
For provision of data, information, images, advice and review, we thank:
Ademola Ajagbe, Mark Balman, Jake Bicknell, Friederike Bolam, Kathi
Borgmann, Ariel Brunner, Graeme Buchanan, Steve Cranwell, Rory Crawford,
Alex Dale, David Edwards, Vivian Fu, Anna Gamero, Stephen Garnett, Richard
Gregory, Richard Grimmett, Kevin Hackwell, Melanie Heath, Nick Holmes, Ben
Jobson, Holly Jones, Steve Kelling, Ibrahim Khader, Bassima Khatib, Eduardo
Lacerda, Jessica Law, Jim Lawrence, Wai-yan Lo, Amy McDougall, Ken
Mwathe, Kariuki Ndanganga, Stephanie Prince, Jiří Reif, Roger Safford, John
Sauer, Neha Sinha, Cressida Stevens, Bernardo Strassburg, Petr Vorisek, Alke
Voskamp, Zoltan Waliczky, David Will, Steve Willis and Ding Li Yong.

BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS I 63

Together we are BirdLife International
A partnership for nature and people

Argentina

Australia

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