Ramsar convention

Main article: The non-profit organisation Ramsar site criteria [ ] A wetland can be considered internationally important if any of the following nine criteria apply: • Criterion 1: "it contains a representative, rare, or unique example of a natural or near-natural wetland type found within the appropriate biogeographic region." • Criterion 2: "it supports vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species or threatened ecological communities." • Criterion 3: "it supports populations of plant and/or animal species important for maintaining the biological diversity of a particular biogeographic region." • Criterion 4: "it supports plant and/or animal species at a critical stage in their life cycles, or provides refuge during adverse conditions." • Criterion 5: "it regularly supports 20,000 or more waterbirds." • Criterion 6: "it regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of waterbird." • Criterion 7: "it supports a significant proportion of indigenous fish subspecies, species or families, life-history stages, species interactions and/or populations that are representative of wetland benefits and/or values and thereby contributes to global biological diversity." • Criterion 8: "it is an important source of food for fishes, spawning ground, nursery and/or migration path on which fish stocks, either within the wetland or elsewhere, depend." • Criterion 9: "it regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species...

The Convention on Wetlands is the intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. The Convention was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975. Since then, almost 90% of UN member states, from all the world’s geographic regions, have acceded to become “Contracting Parties”.

The Ramsar Convention is the intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. The Convention was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975. Since then, almost 90% of UN member states have become “Contracting Parties” and committed to the Convention’s three pillars : • Work towards the wise use of all their wetlands • Designate suitable wetlands for the list of Wetlands International Importance and ensure their effective management • Cooperate internationally on transboundary wetlands, shared wetland systems and shared species Our Role as an International Organisation Partner Wetlands International is an International Organisation Partn er (IOP) of the Ramsar Convention. A long with five other global NGOs , we help set the agenda, bring issues to the fore, realise strategic aims through programmes such as the We embody the philosophy of the Convention and its wise use concept and support the use of the Convention guidelines in our own work around the world. Visit Ramsar Convention’s website to find out more. Share this post: on Twitter on Facebook