India takes over presidency of CMS COP 13

India, which is hosting the 13th Conference of Parties to the Convention of Migratory Species and Wild Animals, officially took over its Presidency on Monday for the next three years. Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said India will fully cooperate and ensure conservation of environment. The minister was handed over the Presidency of the COP by the Philippines, which was presiding over the convention from 2017 till now. India will now preside over it till 2023.

"This Presidency will be for three years. We will cooperate with the Secretariat and we want to spread the message effectively to the world to protect environment through migratory species conservation. 

"I am very sure India will take all initiatives so that this goes to the next level of protection and conservation," the minister said.

With CMS COP 13, India is now presiding over two UN conventions as last year in September, India was handed over the Presidency of UN Convention to Combat Desertification at COP 14 for two years. CMS COP 13 was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday after two days of pre-COP meetings and is likely to go on till February 22, when the Gandhinagar Declaration is expected to be adopted and released.