The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands “Getting our message...
Transcript of The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands “Getting our message...
Ramsar Convention Secretariat Rue Mauverney 28 1196 Gland Switzerland
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands – “Getting our message out”
Lew Young e-mail: [email protected]
Quite simply, wetlands are ecosystems either inland or coastal that have water which can be either: •permanent or temporary; •static or flowing; •natural or artificial; •fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of coastal water that is < 6 m at low tide.
What are wetlands?
• Water related ecosystems • Natural infrastructures that play an important part in the water cycle by storing and delivering water
Wetland in the water cycle
Education, recreation Water
Biodiversity
Storm defence
Food Energy
Benefits people obtain from wetland ecosystems
Wetlands ecosystem services
Mission The conservation and wise use of wetlands through national actions, and international cooperation as a contribution towards achieving sustainable development.
Background • Adopted on 2 February, 1971; • First of the modern intergovernmental
environmental treaties
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
Contracting Parties 165 worldwide
Ramsar Convention: ‘3 Implementation Pillars’
Using wetlands and their resources sustainably.
Wise Use of Wetlands
International cooperation
e.g. for shared wetlands and their resources, such as migratory species.
Designating key wetlands as Ramsar Sites, and to manage
them for conservation (< 2, 118 wordwide).
Ramsar Sites
Wetland Education Centres
Beung Kiat Ngong, Lao PDR
Hong Kong Wetland Park
Large or small, it is the ‘software’ that is importantto promote greater awareness for action to
conserve wetlands
COP11 National Reports: • 82% of Contracting Parties carried out CEPA activities • 88% organized World Wetland Day events
Wetland Education Centres
• However, 44% reported a lack of awareness about wetlands amongst decision makers
Question: Can you name three ways in which you think you are managing your wetlands well?
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CEPA Government policy
Community participation
Site management
Staff training Resource management
Monitoring and research
Others
Questionnaire to Ramsar Site managers
Question: Can you name three problems that you face in managing your wetlands?
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Questionnaire to Ramsar Site managers
Engaging the local community • Raise community awareness and gain their
support for the conservation of the site; • Ensure their involvement in site management
and monitoring; Establishing a broad-based ‘site management committee’
Assessments of management effectiveness • Not only focus on the effectiveness of
conservation, but on the benefits to the local community.
Draft and implement management plan • Local involvement • Based on traditional knowledge and science • Restoration, monitoring
Managing Ramsar Sites
Managing Ramsar Sites
Flood protection Ramsar Sites along the Indus River (Pakistan) • Fertile farmland along the floodplain; • In response to the devastating 2010
flood, now seeing how to manage the Ramsar Site to allows space for river to flood during summer monsoon
Improving local livelihood Beung Kiat Ngong (Lao PDR) •Diverse wetland habitats and species; •13 villages with some 11,500 people; •Management plan developed jointly with local people to improve their livelihood and so conserve biodiversity.
Nutrient cycling East Kolkata Wetlands (India) • Receives waste water from Kolkata’s
12 million people; • 43 villages with >4,000 families; • The 12,500 ha site has some 300 fish
ponds, rice paddies, vegetable fields to naturally treat the waste water.
Tourism Upper Navua River gorge (Fiji) • Private tour company manage the site
and organize rafting tours • A percentage of the income is used to
benefit the local community, e.g. providing health care, education etc.
Managing Ramsar Sites
Target 14: safeguarding ecosystems that provide essential services, including services related to water, and contribute to health, livelihoods
Wetlands and biodiversity Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and Aichi Targets 2011-2020 Adopted at the Convention on Biodiversity Conservation’s 10th Conference of the Parties in October 2010.
National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) By 2015, each Party to be implementing an effective, participatory and updated NBSAP.
The Future We Want (Rio + 20; 2012): Para. 122. …recognize the key role that ecosystems play in maintaining water quantity and quality and support actions within the respective national boundaries to protect and sustainably manage these ecosystems.
Green Economy Report (2011): Key message 5: Increase investment in water-dependent ecosystems, in water infrastructure and in water management as a way to quicken the transition to a green economy
Wetlands and sustainable development
Water demand: • Each person requires 2 to 4 litres of water per day, but it takes
2,000 to 5,000 litres of water to produce one person's daily food.
Wetlands and water
• By 2050 the world's water will have to support the farming systems that will feed an extra 2 billion people.
• The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts yields from rain-dependent agriculture could decrease by 50% by 2020.