Conferences & Events: the Ramsar Convention

The Ramsar Convention: an effective tool for protection and management of wetlands.

The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands is an intergovernmental treaty which provides a framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. It is the world’s oldest international conservation treaty, the only environmental treaty for a particular ecosystem, and the first global intergovernmental treaty to combine conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.

Initiated in 1971 in the Iranian town from which it takes its name, the Ramsar Convention originally focused on the conservation and wise use of wetlands - swamps, rivers, and lakes - primarily to protect waterbird habitat.

However, its basic tenets have broadened over the years to recognise wetlands, including coastal wetlands such as mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass beds, as ecosystems that are extremely important for both biodiversity conservation and the well-being of human communities.

Ramsar sites
The 153 Ramsar member nations have together designated an impressive 11% of the world's wetlands - covering 145.6 million hectares - for inclusion in the convention's List of Wetlands of International Importance (as of Dec 2006). These listings, commonly called Ramsar sites, not only recognise the world's most important wetlands, but are also an effective tool to help countries advance towards their sustainable development goals, balance conservation needs, and address poverty alleviation.

Ramsar Convention achievements
One key achievement of the Ramsar Convention has been to heighten awareness of the importance of wetlands. Swamps, marshes, bogs, and many other wetlands have traditionally been viewed as undesirable and accordingly been drained or dammed.

However over the last few decades, the value of wetland ecosystems as sources of water, food, and other resources, as well as highly efficient water treatment works, has been more and more recognised. This shift in perception is in large part due to the efforts of the Ramsar Convention.

The convention has also helped poverty alleviation. The 'Working for Water' and 'Working for Wetlands' programmes, for example, have trained and employed thousands of disadvantaged people in South Africa to restore the health of wetlands and their capacity to deliver reliable supplies of clean water.

Ramsar Convention challenges
Any treaty is only as effective as its weakest member, and the Ramsar Convention is no exception. If the world’s threatened wetlands are to survive, the requirements of the convention must be taken more seriously by its present members - and more countries have to become signatories without delay. Despite its successes and continued relevance, the Ramsar Convention continues to be sidelined or under-utilised by some governments.

Ramsar COPs
Every three years, government representatives meet for a Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP), the policy-making organ of the Ramsar Convention that reviews the general trends in the implementation of the Convention and adopts decisions to improve the way in which the Convention works.

The programme also includes a series of technical sessions which analyse issues of importance for wetland conservation and wise use, including further interpretation and development of the key Convention concepts. Ramsar COPs have gained the reputation of being highly effective events, allowing an active involvement and participation of the non-governmental and academic community.

Thanks to Ramsar, significant gains have been achieved for the conservation of wetlands. But protection and preservation are often fragile ideals, and we must be ever-vigilant to ensure that all environmental agreements, treaties, laws, and conventions are followed and respected. WWF will lead the way at every opportunity.