China–Australia Migratory Bird Agreement

The China–Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (CAMBA) is a bilateral treaty between Australia and China that aims to protect migratory birds and their environment between the two countries. Throughout all six Articles, the treaty defines what a migratory bird is, outlines key prohibitions for both contracting parties and determines the responsibilities of both nations to protect migratory birds and their habitats. The CAMBA was first developed on 20 October 1986, and came into force on 1 September 1988. Eighty-one bird species are listed in the agreement, as shown in the CAMBA Annex listed below.

The CAMBA was developed to provide more legal protection for migratory birds, especially those that are critically endangered or are at threat of extinction. Both China and Australia have agreed to encourage the creation of programs to support the protection of bird species, to share any information like research on these birds and to ensure conservation such as by preventing the importation of hazardous plants and animals.

Australia has been involved with other migratory bird agreements such as the Japan-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (JAMBA) and the Republic of Korea-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (ROKAMBA), and also with management plans that aim to combat key threats such as climate change and water extraction which have proven to harm bird species. There are also issues associated with migratory bird protection which limits the effectiveness of protecting these species, including the lack of specificity in agreements and difficulties in implementing conservatory measures at a domestic level.