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Ramsar Convention
Ramsar ConventionConvention on Wetlands
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Signed2 February 1971LocationRamsar (Iran)Effective21 December 1975ConditionRatification by 7 statesParties169DepositaryDirector General of UNESCOLanguages
English, French and Spanish
The Ramsar Convention is an internationaltreaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands.[1] It is also known as theConvention on Wetlands. It is named after the city of Ramsar in Iran, where the Convention was signed in 1971.
Every three years, representatives of the Contracting Parties meet as the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP), the policy-making organ of the Convention which adopts decisions (Resolutions and Recommendations) to administer the work of the Convention and improve the way in which the Parties are able to implement its objectives.
The most recent COP12 was held in Punta del Este, Uruguay, in 2015. COP13 will take place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in 2018.
Main article: List of Ramsar Convention contracting parties
About the Convention and Wetlands
Wetlands are vital for human survival. They are among the world’s most productive environments; cradles of biological diversity that provide the water and productivity upon which countless species of plants and animals depend for survival.
Wetlands are indispensable for the countless benefits or “ecosystem services” that they provide humanity, ranging from freshwater supply, food and building materials, and biodiversity, to flood control,groundwater recharge, and climate change mitigation.
Yet study after study demonstrates that wetland area and quality continue to decline in most regions of the world; 64% of the world’s wetlands have disappeared in the last century. As a result, the ecosystem services that wetlands provide to people are compromised.
Managing wetlands is a global challenge, and the Convention’s 169 Contracting Parties recognize the value of having one international treaty dedicated to a single ecosystem. By setting international standards for wetland conservation and providing a forum for discussing global wetland issues, the Convention enables Contracting Parties to share information on wetlands and address issues together.
The Convention uses a broad definition of wetlands. It includes all lakes and rivers, underground aquifers, swamps andmarshes, wet grasslands, peatlands, oases, estuaries, deltas and tidal flats, mangrovesand other coastal areas, coral reefs, and all human-made sites such as fish ponds, rice paddies, reservoirs and salt pans.
The Upper Navua Conservation Area Ramsar Site in Fiji
The Convention’s mission is “the conservation and wise use of all wetlandsthrough local and national actions and international cooperation, as a contribution towards achieving sustainable development throughout the world”.
Under the “three pillars” of the Convention, the Contracting Parties commit to:
Work towards the wise use of all their wetlands;Designate suitable wetlands for the List of Wetlands of International Importance (the “Ramsar List”) and ensure their effective management;Cooperate internationally on transboundary wetlands, shared wetland systems and shared species.
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