The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty that
provides an agenda to sustain the ecological integrity of our world’s wetlands.
This particular convention is unique, in that is only deals directly with the
degradation and health of wetlands. The treaty was adopted in the Iranian city
of Ramsar (1971) and encompasses 168 member countries. There are currently over
2186 wetland sites, totaling over 208 million hectares. The United States alone
has 36 Ramsar designated sites coverig over 4,522,764 acres. The members meet
every three years as the Conference of Contracting Parties. There is a standing
committee, a scientific review panel, and a secretariat. In order to join the
convention each Contracting party must list at least one wetland site on the
Ramsar’s List of Wetlands of International Importance. This identification process is determined
through set criteria that have been established by a scientific review panel.
Ramsar’s mission describes the wise use of wetlands in
local, national, and international settings, while simultaneously encouraging
sustainable development around the world. The convention achieves its national
and international objectives through three key pillars, which describe the
organizations commit to wetland sustainability and useful use of wetlands. The three
pillars are as follows:
·
·
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
With
the help of the Ramsar Advisory Missions, international bodies can depend on
the wealth of knowledge and expertise that accompanies the Ramsar Convention.
Whenever an ecological site is assessed and seen as threatened, countries can
call on these specific advisory missions in order to gain a more comprehensive
understanding of the ecological impact of the wetland. In addition various
funding has been supplied to nations attempting to manage the damage done to
these fragile ecosystems.
Contracting
parties commit to work towards the Ramsar philosophy of the “wise use” of
wetlands. The guidelines for the implementation of the wise use concept
includes adopting wetland policies, such as environmental action plans, develop
monitoring protocols, and establish integrated management plans for wetlands. A
National Ramsar Committee acts as the advising body for the particular nation
attempting to integrate these environmental protocols, into their current
regulatory outlines. The implementation
of these plans is a rolling period of about three years.
Wetlands
are some of the most biologically diverse ecosystems on the planet and provide
a key function in filtering out pollutants in water. The Ramsar Convention has
brought the importance of these ecosystems into the 21st century.
With a wide wealth of scientific knowledge and the resources of 168 Contracting
members, the Ramsar Convention is the key component in sustaining the health of
wetlands today and for future generations to come. As we continue to grow and
develop as a planet, more innovative and collaborative efforts will need to be
established to deal with threatened ecosystems. The Ramsar Convention should be
a benchmark for future environmental collaborations and solutions.
Links:http://www.ramsar.org/about/the-ramsar-convention-and-its-mission,http://www.fws.gov/international/wildlife-without-borders/ramsar-wetlands-convention.html
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