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Ramsar: the Convention on Wetlands

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Ramsar: the Convention on Wetlands Working together Who pays for all this? n The Convention works closely with other The Conference of the Parties adopts a core budget environment-related global and regional administered by the Ramsar Secretariat, to which each conventions. It has Joint Work Plans or Party pays a percentage related to its contribution to the MOUs with the Conventions on Biological United Nations budget. Many countries and other donors also Diversity, Combating Desertification, make contributions to special Ramsar projects, including, Migratory Species, and World Heritage, as for example, the Ramsar Small Grants Fund, Wetlands well as UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere for the Future, the Swiss Grant for Africa, and, from the programme. The Secretariat also works private sector, the Evian Project with the Danone Group and with funding institutions such as the World Biosphere Connections with the Star Alliance airline network. Bank and the GEF and with river basin management authorities such as those for Need to know more? Lake Chad and the Niger Basin. The Convention The Ramsar Manual (4th edition, 114 pages, 2006) n The Convention has five formally and the Ramsar Info Pack are available both in hard on Wetlands recognized International Organization copy and on the Ramsar Web site. Partners – BirdLife International, International Water Management Institute Ramsar Convention Secretariat (IWMI), Wetlands International, the World Rue Mauverney 28 Conservation Union (IUCN), and the World CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) – which help Tel. +41 22 999 0170, fax +41 22 999 0169 the Parties by providing expert technical E-mail: [email protected] advice at global, national, and local levels, as well as field level assistance. Our Web site is updated nearly every day. Everything you want to know about the Ramsar Convention can Tools to help you n The Secretariat has collaborative be found there. relations with many other non-governmental The Convention Secretariat publishes technical organizations as well, such as the Society of www.ramsar.org. and information materials and maintains a number Wetland Scientists, The Nature Conservancy, of electronic communication tools, including a the International Association for Impact comprehensive Web site and electronic mailing lists. Assessment, and the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, and includes many others For World Wetlands Day, 2 February every year, the as permanently invited participants in its Secretariat prepares a number of promotional and scientific and technical work. educational materials for wide distribution free of charge. The Convention publishes a series of Ramsar Handbooks presenting the guidelines adopted by the Conference of the Parties in the areas of: wise use of wetlands; national wetland policies; laws and institutions; wetland and river basin management; January 2008 community participation; public awareness; water allocation; coastal management; wetland inventory; The first edition of this brochure was published with support from the Danone/Evian Project. and international cooperation. These are updated as appropriate and available electronically. What are we about? What is wise use? How does the Convention work? n The Convention’s mission is “the n Wise use of wetlands is defined as n The Conference of the Contracting conservation and wise use of all wetlands “the maintenance of their ecological Parties (COP) meets every three years and through local, regional and national actions character, achieved through the implementation promotes policies and guidelines to further and international cooperation, as a contribution of ecosystem approaches, within the context of the application of the Convention. towards achieving sustainable development sustainable development”. n The Standing Committee, made up of throughout the world”. Parties representing the six Ramsar regions n “Wise use” therefore has at its heart the of the world, meets annually to guide the The Convention uses a broad definition of conservation and sustainable use of wetlands Convention between meetings of the COP. the types of wetlands covered in its mission, and their resources, for the benefit n The Scientific and Technical Review including swamps and marshes, lakes and of humankind. Panel provides guidance on key issues for The Convention on Wetlands is an rivers, wet grasslands and peatlands, oases, the Convention. intergovernmental treaty that provides estuaries, deltas and tidal flats, near-shore What do Contracting Parties do? n The Ramsar Secretariat, which shares the framework for national action marine areas, mangroves and coral reefs, headquarters with the World Conservation and international cooperation for the and human-made sites such as fish ponds, Under the “three pillars” of the Union (IUCN) in Gland, Switzerland, manages conservation and wise use of wetlands rice paddies, reservoirs, and salt pans. Convention, the Parties have committed the day-to-day activities of the Convention. and their resources. It was adopted in the themselves to: n The MedWet Intitiative, with its Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came And what about wetlands? Secretariat in Athens, provides a model for into force in 1975, and it is the only global n work towards the wise use of all regional wetland cooperation now being environmental treaty that deals with a n Wetlands provide fundamental ecological their wetlands through national land-use emulated by regional initiatives under the particular ecosystem. The Convention’s services and are regulators of water regimes planning, appropriate policies and legislation, Convention in many parts of the world. member countries cover all geographic and sources of biodiversity at all levels – management actions, and public education; n Nationally, each Contracting Party regions of the planet. species, genetic, and ecosystem. designates an Administrative Authority n designate suitable wetlands for the as its focal point for implementation of the Conserving and providing water: n Wetlands constitute a resource of great List of Wetlands of International Convention. wetlands at the heart of sustainable economic, scientific, cultural, and recreational Importance (“Ramsar List”) and ensure n Countries are encouraged to establish development. value for the community. their effective management; and National Wetland Committees, involving all government sectors dealing with water n Wetlands play a vital role in climate change n cooperate internationally concerning resources, development planning, protected adaptation and mitigation. transboundary wetlands, shared wetland areas, biodiversity, tourism, education, systems, shared species, and development development assistance, etc. Participation n Progressive encroachment on, and loss projects that may affect wetlands. by NGOs and civil society is also encouraged. of, wetlands cause serious and sometimes n Ramsar sites facing problems in irreparable environmental damage to the maintaining their ecological character can provision of ecosystem services. be placed by the country concerned on a special list, the “Montreux Record”, n Wetlands should be restored and By January 2008, more than 1,700 wetlands, and technical assistance to help solve the rehabilitated, whenever possible. covering more than 153 million hectares, problems can be provided. have been included in the Ramsar List. n Eligible countries can apply to a Ramsar n Wetlands should be conserved by ensuring Small Grants Fund and Wetlands for the their wise use. Future Fund for financial assistance to implement wetland conservation and wise use projects. .
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