CONVENTION ON WETLANDS

Introduction
The Ramsar Convention, the Convention on Wetlands is of international
importance. Especially as Waterfowl Habitat is an international treaty for the
conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, to stem the progressive
encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the
fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,
scientific, and recreational value. It is named after the town of Ramsar in Iran.

The convention was developed and adopted by participating nations at a meeting

in Ramsar on February 2, 1971, and came into force on December 21, 1975. The
Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance now includes 1,888 sites
known as Ramsar Sites covering around 1,853,000 km up from 1,021 sites in 2000.
The nation with the highest number of sites is the United Kingdom at 168, the
nation with the greatest area of listed wetlands is Canada, with over 130,000 km ,
including the Queen Maud Gulf Migratory Bird Sanctuary at 62,800 km.

Presently, there are 159 contracting parties, up from 119 in 2000 and from 18
initial signatory nations in 1971. Signatories meet every three years as the
Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP), the first held in Cagliari, Italy in 1980.
Amendments to the original convention have been agreed to in Paris in 1982 and
Regina in 1987.

There is a standing committee, a scientific review panel, and a secretariat. The

headquarters is located in Gland, Switzerland, shared with the IUCN.

The Convention on Wetlands is of International Importance, it is an

intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and
international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their
resources.
The Ramsar Convention is the only global environmental treaty that deals with a
particular ecosystem, and the Convention's member countries cover all
geographic regions of the planet.

The Ramsar mission

The Convention's mission is "the conservation and wise use of all wetlands
through local and national actions and international cooperation, as a
contribution towards achieving sustainable development throughout the world".

The Wise Use concept

At the center of the Ramsar philosophy is the “wise use” concept. The wise use of
wetlands is defined as "the maintenance of their ecological character, achieved
through the implementation of ecosystem approaches, within the context of
sustainable development". "Wise use" therefore has at its heart the conservation
and sustainable use of wetlands and their resources, for the benefit of
humankind.

Key Data
The current sites there are1608 wetland sites. The number of parties
participating in this conventions are 152 nations. Surface area covered by
this convention is 345 million acres. Categories of wetlands include
Marine & Coastal, Inland, & Human-Made. It Encompasses 42 wetland
types.

Solutions of COP 9 Resolution IX.4 Annex

Sustainable management of wetland ecosystems for fisheries. Increased
international cooperation. Improvements to information on the status of
fisheries in Ramsar sites. Implementation of the “Wise Use” Framework.
Wise use and maintenance of ecological structure of wetlands.
Improvements to information on the status of fisheries in Ramsar sites.
Controversies Related to Wetland Destruction/Ramsar COP 9
Policies
1. Mitigated wetlands

2. Cross-border cooperation on ecological goals

Mitigation of Wetlands
Can compensate for wetland loss and restore formerly impacted
wetlands. But they can require management for several decades. Quality
sacrificed for quantity Mitigated wetland might not reflect the
characteristics of the natural wetland it is replacing.

Measuring the Success of COP 9 Resolution IX.4

It was Simple and pragmatic and Capable of distinguishing the difference made by
the Ramsar Convention. It was reflective of multiple variables. It was related to
readily available information. Serviceable by wide popular audiences.

Conclusion
Wetlands provide important ecological and socio-economic services. Degradation
limits their ability to provide these services. COP 9 of Ramsar proposes several
solutions to reduce wetland destruction and promote wetland conservation for
sustainable fisheries. Implementation of U.S. wetland conservation measures in
conjunction with existing policy has improved management and monitoring of our
nation’s wetlands.