Summary

On February 18, 2026, the Federal Council approved the mandate for Swiss participation in the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Bonn Convention. The conference will take place from March 23-29, 2026 in Campo Grande (Brazil) and focuses on the protection of migratory wildlife species that cross national borders. Switzerland will advocate for strengthened implementation of the Kunming-Montreal global biodiversity framework and support the amendment of the Convention's appendices to better protect endangered species such as snowy owls and leopards.

Persons

  • Federal Council (collectively)

Topics

  • Wildlife protection
  • International biodiversity conventions
  • Transboundary wildlife migration
  • Global biodiversity goals

Clarus Lead

The Bonn Convention protects wildlife species that cross state borders during their migrations. At the upcoming conference in Brazil, Switzerland will play a central role: it is committed to strengthening cooperation between conventions and organizations for biological diversity and supports expanded protective provisions for endangered species. This is relevant for decision-makers as it demonstrates how Switzerland fulfills its international responsibility in biodiversity protection – without requiring national legislative amendments.

Detailed Summary

The Bonn Convention forms the legal foundation for the protection of migratory wildlife at the global level. It addresses two central challenges: protecting the world's most endangered species and reducing obstacles created by human activities that impede wildlife migration. The Swiss delegation will work in Campo Grande to ensure that the Bonn Convention contributes to the Kunming-Montreal global biodiversity framework – a framework adopted in 2022 that sets clear, measurable targets for 2030 and 2050 with uniform indicators.

A key focus lies on amending the Convention's appendices to include additional endangered species such as snowy owls and leopards. Since these species are not native to Switzerland, Switzerland faces no direct obligations to adapt its national law. Nevertheless, supporting these measures underscores Switzerland's commitment to global biodiversity goals. According to the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), one million species are currently threatened with extinction – a finding that underscores the urgency of such international protective measures.

Key Messages

  • The Federal Council approves the Swiss mandate for the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Bonn Convention (March 23–29, 2026, Campo Grande, Brazil)
  • Switzerland advocates for strengthened cooperation between biodiversity conventions and organizations
  • Support for expanded protective provisions for endangered migratory wildlife species (e.g., snowy owls, leopards) without requiring national legal amendments

Critical Questions

  1. Evidence/Data Quality: What empirical data demonstrates that the Bonn Convention has actually led to measurable improvements in migratory wildlife protection? How is the Convention's success measured?

  2. Conflicts of Interest: What economic or political interests might underlie the Swiss position, and are there conflicts with other national priorities (e.g., agriculture, infrastructure)?

  3. Causality/Alternatives: Might national or bilateral protective measures be more effective than multilateral conventions? What alternatives were considered?

  4. Feasibility: How is it ensured that the agreed-upon goals of the Kunming-Montreal framework are actually implemented by the parties by 2030? What sanction mechanisms exist?

  5. Resources: What financial and human resources does Switzerland invest in implementing these convention objectives?

  6. Monitoring: How is compliance with the Convention's provisions by member states verified and made transparent?

Sources

Primary Source: Conference for the Protection of Migratory Wildlife: Federal Council Adopts Mandate – https://www.news.admin.ch/de/newnsb/rNZO4wqAFBVUR63dyfRbS

Verification Status: ✓ February 18, 2026

This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-checking: February 18, 2026