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This report reflects the key outcomes of the 25th PIRT Annual Meeting and is provided for the information of PIRT Members and Working groups, as well as other interested organisations, partners and stakeholders.

Seabird Action Plan presentation at the Launch of the Pacific Regional Marine Species Programme Action Plan 2022-2026 (RMSAP)

In 2019 we obtained information on harvesting levels from 7 villages along the eastern slopes of Mt Tukusmera. The village harvested 202 chicks from the mountain range - all harvested in June or July 2019

42 seabird species are known or suspected to breed in the Pacific 17 are endemic.

Seabirds of the Pacific Islands; 42 species of seabird known or suspected to breed throughout the tropical Pacific islands. 10 are considered endemic. 11 globally threatened (CR, EN, VU) and one near threatened species.

Distribution of recorded seabird colonies in the Pacific, Colonies from Helen reef, Palau in the west to Clipperton in the East and from Marotoro, French Polynesia in the south Uracus, N. Marianas in the north. Nearly 6,000 rows of data, each row represents a single survey of a single species at a single colony.

Climate change is one of the greatest global threats. Scientists confidently predict that average global warming of 2°C or more will result in dangerous and irreversible effects on nature, people and the economy.10 The ultimate aim (Article 2) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (unfccc) 11 is to avoid dangerous climate change. It includes stabilising atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases at a level and in a time frame that allows ecosystems to adapt naturally. The value and importance of ecosystems in tackling and responding to climate change, both in adaptation and mitigation, is therefore recognised inherently by the Convention.

As conservationists we need no reminder that the world’s people are currently facing the largest challenge in human history: to safeguard the planet and its precious biodiversity for current and future generations. Difficult choices need to be made and will become increasingly tougher during this century. Securing larger amounts of funds to protect species, sites, habitats and larger ecosystems is critical. Funding for public education and awareness-raising about environmental issues and for improving policy frameworks is equally necessary.

The scientific evidence is overwhelming: climate change is happening, it is largely caused by human activities, it presents very serious global risks for people and biodiversity around the world and it demands an urgent global response. The direct and indirect impacts of climate change are of central concern to BirdLife’s objectives and targets, in terms both of biodiversity and of human development. The BirdLife Partnership operates in over one hundred countries and territories worldwide with over 2.5 million members, 10 million supporters and over 1 million hectares owned or managed. Together the BirdLife Partnership forms the leading authority on the status of birds, their habitats and the issues and problems affecting bird life. BirdLife has a significant contribution to make to the climate change debate.

This report is a brief summary of the information available on BirdLife’s State of the world’s birds website. Using the most up-todate analyses, it outlines why birds and biodiversity are important, what we know about the changing state of the world’s birds (STATE), why birds are declining (PRESSURE) and what can be done to improve their status (RESPONSE). It presents and lists a small sample of the case studies providing evidence for these messages and examples of BirdLife’s work.