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WATER

Conserving and providing water:

Wetlands at the heart of sustainable development.

Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

What is the Ramsar Convention? - It is an intergovernmental treaty which provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. It was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975. It is the only global environmental treaty that deals with a particular ecosystem.

What are wetlands? - Areas of swamps and marshes, lakes and rivers, wet grassland and peatland, oases, estuaries, deltas and tidal flats, near-shore marine areas, mangroves and coral reefs, and human-made sites such as fish ponds, rice paddies, reservoirs, and salt pans.

Wetland values: Apart from ecological services wetlands provide tremendous economic benefits, such as water supply, fisheries, agriculture, timber production, energy resources, wildlife resources, transport, recreation and tourism opportunities. In addition, wetlands have special attributes as part of the cultural heritage of humanity.

Wetlands provide fundamental ecological services and are regulators of water regimes and sources of biodiversity at all levels - species, genetic and ecosystem.

Wetlands are windows on interactions between cultural and biological diversity.

Wetlands constitute a resource of great economic, scientific and recreational value for the global community.

Progressive encroachment on, and loss of, wetlands cause serious and even irreparable damage to provision of ecosystem services.

What do Contracting Parties do? - 158 countries have signed the convention so far, they commit themselves to:

• Designate at least one wetland and ensure the maintenance. Parties are encouraged to include as many wetlands that meet the criteria as possible.

• Promote the wise use of all wetlands within their territory, including wetland conservation and management.

• Promote training in wetland research, management and wise use.

More than 1,782 wetlands, covering nearly 162 million hectares, have been included in the Ramsar list so far.

► List of Contracting Countries

The wise use of wetlands is their sustainable utilization for the benefit of mankind in a way compatible with the maintenance of the natural properties of the ecosystem.

Further information about Ramsar Convention:

► The Ramsar Convention

► Wikipedia: Ramsar Convention and Contracting Parties

► Wetlands International