The Ramsar Convention Manual.pdf

A Guide to the Convention on Wetlands, (Ramsar, Iran, 1971]
□ Sustainable harvesting and international trade in wetland-derived plant and animal products □
Regulation of foreign investment to ensure wetland conservation and wise use.
In adopting the Guidelines, the Conference called upon Contracting Parties to give special attention to identifying shared
wetlands, river basins, and wetland-dependent species and to cooperate with other Parties in their management; to harmonize
the implementation of the Ramsar Convention with that of other treaties; to increase the number of site twinning arrangements;
and to raise the level and effectiveness of international development assistance programmes directed at the long-term
conservation and sustainable use of wetlands.
In relation to this last point, the Conference authorized the Secretariat to establish a new full-time post of Senior Trade and
Development Advisor, devoted to working with the development assistance community in order to increase the flow of
resources for wetland conservation and sustainable use in developing countries and countries in transition. This officer took up
his post in the Ramsar Secretariat in August 2000.
4.4.1 Cooperation with and between Contracting Parties
By setting international standards for wetland conservation and providing an international forum for discussion of global
wetland issues, the Ramsar Convention facilitates a continuous flow of information on wetland matters between Contracting
Parties.
The Secretariat functions as the focal point for contacts between and among Contracting Parties by:
□ promoting and organizing activities under Article 5 of the Convention, which concerns shared wetlands and water
systems (Appendix 1);
□ organizing and co-organizing regional meetings and technical workshops, as well as meetings of the COP; □
facilitating multilateral conservation initiatives, such as the Mediterranean Wetlands Initiative (MedWet).
4.4.2 Transboundary wetland conservation
Article 5 of the Convention calls upon Contracting Parties to consult with one another in the case of shared wetlands or water
systems. Individual action by States may be insufficient for the conservation and management of wetlands because:
□ many wetlands and watercourses cross national boundaries; □
many wetland species are migratory;
□ management of wetlands often requires exchange of experiences between countries; and
□ development assistance is often required for wetland conservation actions in developing countries.
To assist Contracting Parties to fulfill their obligations in this area, the Secretariat:
□ gathers information on wetlands and water systems that are shared between two or more Contracting Parties where such
wetlands or water systems contain at least one wetland included in the List of Wetlands of International Importance;
□ reviews, in consultation with the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species and other appropriate secretariats,
relevant information with a view to identifying shared migratory animal populations which may require conservation
measures agreed upon by two or more Contracting Parties;
□ promotes, in consultation with Contracting Parties, bilateral or multilateral arrangements in respect of wetlands situated
along migratory flyways which cross the territories of two or more Contracting Parties;
□
reports on the results of these activities to each meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties.
Recent examples of international cooperation over shared wetlands and water systems in relation to Ramsar Sites and the
Ramsar Convention include:
□ The continuing success of the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat, begun in 1987 to jointly manage this extensive area of
shallow waters, sandbanks, mudflats, and coastal marshes extending over a distance of some 500 kilometres along the
coast of the North Sea, shared by Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands.
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