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| Convention Ramsar | |
|---|---|
| Name | Ramsar Convention |
| Long name | Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat |
| Caption | Logo of the Ramsar Convention |
| Date signed | 2 February 1971 |
| Location signed | Ramsar |
| Date effective | 21 December 1975 |
| Parties | 172 (as of 2024) |
| Secretariat | Ramsar Convention Bureau |
| Languages | English language, French language, Spanish language |
Convention Ramsar
The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and wise use of wetlands, signed in Ramsar in 1971 and entering into force in 1975. It links to global frameworks such as the Convention on Biological Diversity, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the Convention on Migratory Species, and works with bodies including the United Nations Environment Programme, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and the World Wildlife Fund. The treaty establishes a list of designated wetlands of international importance and a governance mechanism centered on contracting parties, national focal points, and the Ramsar Secretariat.
The convention was adopted at a conference in Ramsar influenced by conservationists from organizations such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature and advocacy by figures associated with the International Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Bureau and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Early signatories included Iran, United Kingdom, Switzerland, and United States (early engagement), leading to accession by countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, and the Americas. Major milestones include the 1987 Montreal Protocol-era surge in environmental treaties, the 1990s adoption of the wise use concept, the 1999 Strategic Framework and Guidelines for the Development of the Ramsar List, and the 2015 alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement ambitions.
The convention's core objective is the "wise use" of wetlands, integrating principles from instruments like the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Ramsar Strategic Plan. It emphasizes conservation of habitats for species listed under the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds, maintaining ecosystem services recognized by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessments, and protecting Ramsar Sites that support biodiversity noted in IUCN Red List of Threatened Species entries. The principles encourage cross-sectoral cooperation with bodies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization, the International Maritime Organization, and the World Bank to reconcile development and conservation.
The convention is administered by the Ramsar Secretariat (Ramsar Convention Bureau) headquartered in Gland, Switzerland, with governance through triennial Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP) meetings attended by national delegates from signatory states including China, India, Brazil, Australia, South Africa, and the European Union as a bloc actor in coordination. Parties appoint national focal points and scientific advisors from institutions such as Wetlands International, BirdLife International, and national agencies like the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Governance mechanisms include the Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP), the Standing Committee, and regional initiatives linking entities like the African Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Ramsar Sites are designated wetlands meeting criteria developed in the 1990s and revised through COPs, drawing on taxonomy and biogeography from institutions like Smithsonian Institution, Natural History Museum, London, and regional conservation bodies. Criteria assess values for species listed in the IUCN Red List, populations referenced by the Wetlands International waterbird census, ecological communities noted in Ramsar Information Sheets, and support for migratory corridors such as those recognized by the East Asian–Australasian Flyway Partnership and the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network. Famous Ramsar Sites include Everglades National Park, Okavango Delta, Camargue, Doñana National Park, and Sundarbans National Park.
Implementation is achieved through national wetland policies, management plans, and site-level conservation actions coordinated with multilateral organizations like the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, and regional development banks such as the Asian Development Bank. Technical measures include wetland restoration, invasive species control informed by Global Invasive Species Programme methodologies, hydrological management guided by International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine-style frameworks, and incorporation of traditional ecological knowledge from Indigenous groups represented in forums like the Convention on Biological Diversity processes. Monitoring uses tools and datasets from Ramsar Sites Information Service, satellite programs like Landsat, and biodiversity databases such as the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
Funding mechanisms combine national budgets, bilateral aid from donors such as United Kingdom Department for International Development, multilateral finance via the Global Environment Facility, and project support from NGOs like WWF, Conservation International, and The Nature Conservancy. Technical support is provided by Ramsar’s regional initiatives, the STRP, and partner networks including Wetlands International, IUCN, and academic centers like University of Queensland and Oxford University through capacity-building, training, and diagnostic tools used in projects supported by agencies such as the European Commission.
Critiques focus on limited enforcement capacity compared with treaties like the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and challenges integrating Ramsar designations with national land-use planning in countries such as Nigeria, Indonesia, and Peru. Other concerns include insufficient funding relative to needs identified by Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services assessments, pressures from infrastructure projects financed by entities like the World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and difficulties in addressing climate-driven sea-level rise affecting Sites like Banc d'Arguin National Park and Qarhan Salt Lake. Ongoing reforms debated at COPs involve strengthening compliance mechanisms, improving monitoring with partners like Group on Earth Observations, and enhancing synergies with the Convention on Migratory Species and Convention on Biological Diversity to better secure wetland functions.
Category:International environmental treaties Category:Wetland conservation treaties