Convention on Wetlands

Convention on Wetlands
Ramsar Convention · Public domain · source
Name	Convention on Wetlands
Long name	Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat
Date signed	2 February 1971
Location signed	Ramsar, Iran
Date effective	21 December 1975
Condition effective	8 ratifications
Parties	172 (as of 2024)
Depositor	Secretary-General of the United Nations
Languages	English language, French language, Spanish language

Convention on Wetlands

The Convention on Wetlands is an international environmental treaty adopted at Ramsar, Iran in 1971 to promote the conservation and wise use of wetlands. It establishes a framework for national action and international cooperation among United Nations member states, linking to multilayered policy arenas such as Convention on Biological Diversity, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and UNESCO World Heritage Convention. The treaty created a list of internationally important wetlands and established mechanisms for scientific assessment, capacity building, and finance that engage interstate bodies like the Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands and agencies such as the Ramsar Regional Initiatives.

Background and history

The treaty emerged from deliberations by waterfowl and wetland scientists associated with institutions including the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the World Wildlife Fund, and the Wetlands International network, following concerns highlighted at conferences in the late 1960s such as the International Congress for Conservation of Wetlands. Negotiations led to the 1971 adoption in Ramsar, Iran; subsequent incorporation into global environmental governance connected the instrument with the Stockholm Conference legacy and later treaties like the Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. Key historical milestones include accession by major states such as United Kingdom, United States, and China, addition of freshwater and peatland sites advocated by researchers from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and BirdLife International, and programmatic expansions through conferences of the parties culminating in policy resolutions at meetings such as the Conference of the Parties (COP). Notable figures and institutions involved over decades include scientists from Smithsonian Institution, policy advisers from the World Bank, and conservationists from IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas.

Objectives and scope

The treaty's primary objective is to ensure the "wise use" of wetlands through national policies and international cooperation, aligning with objectives of Convention on Biological Diversity, Ramsar Strategic Plan, and regional agreements like the European Union Birds Directive. Scope covers ecosystems designated for inclusion on the Ramsar List, including coastal, inland, and artificial wetlands such as examples managed by National Audubon Society, conservancies like The Nature Conservancy, and transboundary sites recognized by International Union for Conservation of Nature. The convention interfaces with sectoral policies of actors such as the Food and Agriculture Organization, World Meteorological Organization, and UN Environment Programme, addressing issues from migratory birds conservation through instruments like the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds to climate regulation and flood control as considered by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports.

Ramsar List and criteria

The Ramsar List identifies wetlands of international importance based on criteria developed by the Convention Secretariat in coordination with scientific bodies like Wetlands International and BirdLife International. Criteria include standards related to biodiversity thresholds used by the IUCN Red List, population concentrations comparable to benchmarks used by Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, and representative ecosystem values parallel to designations under the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme. Notable Ramsar sites include transboundary wetlands such as Sundarbans, Okavango Delta, Everglades National Park, and Danube Delta, each nominated by national contracting parties like India, Botswana, United States, and Romania. The listing process engages national focal points, scientific advisory bodies, and technical reviews that echo procedures from treaties like the World Heritage Convention.

Governance and parties

Governance is exercised through a triennial Conference of the Parties (COP), an administrative Secretariat headquartered in Gland, Switzerland that collaborates with agencies including the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nations Development Programme, and standing committees comprising regional representatives from parties such as Australia, Brazil, Canada, and South Africa. Parties ratify, accede to, or denounce the treaty in manners similar to other multilateral treaties deposited with the United Nations Secretary-General. Institutional partners encompass intergovernmental organizations like the African Development Bank, donor institutions such as the Global Environment Facility, and non-governmental organizations including Conservation International and World Resources Institute.

Implementation and mechanisms

Implementation tools include National Wetland Policies, management plans for designated Ramsar sites, and mechanisms for technical assistance delivered by bodies such as Ramsar Regional Initiatives and international partners like the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Funding and incentive mechanisms involve cooperation with the Global Environment Facility, bilateral aid agencies including Agence Française de Développement, and philanthropic funders like the Rockefeller Foundation. Scientific and monitoring mechanisms draw on networks such as the Ramsar Sites Information Service, collaborative research with institutes like CIFOR, and reporting obligations aligned with data systems such as those used by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Legal instruments for protection range from national designations to transboundary agreements modeled on the Nairobi Convention and the Alpine Convention.

Impact and challenges

The treaty has catalyzed protection of iconic wetlands—examples include conservation actions in Camargue, restoration projects in Knepp Estate, and management frameworks for the Mekong River Commission—and contributed to international policy coherence with instruments such as the Paris Agreement. Challenges include funding shortfalls identified by agencies like the World Bank, habitat loss driven by infrastructure projects such as dams overseen by actors like Chinese Ministry of Water Resources, pollution linked to multinational agribusiness operations, invasive species issues documented by the Global Invasive Species Programme, and climate change impacts assessed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Ongoing debates involve jurisdictional overlaps with conventions like the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and fragmentation across regional bodies including the European Environment Agency and the Caribbean Community.

Category:Environmental treaties