RAMSAR CONVENTION

Ramsar Convention is a convention on wetlands that was signed in 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar. The negotiations for the convention started in the 1960s by the countries and the NGOs for the protection of wetlands and their resources. Finally, it came into action in 1975. There are 85 Ramsar sites in India as listed under the Ramsar Convention.

Ramsar Convention is the only global environmental treaty that focuses solely on a specific ecosystem—wetlands. Wetlands are critical ecosystems that provide habitats for diverse species, regulate water cycles, and support human livelihoods.

Wetlands can be defined by the presence of:

     -Standing water or saturated soil, at least during part of the year;

     -Hydric soils, which, when undrained, support wetland vegetation; or

     -The vegetation itself, adapted to or tolerant of saturated soils

Wetlands are an important ecological component, they are the most ecologically productive zone. They produce a total annual biomass close to that of tropical forests. They provide both a home and a breeding habitat to a diverse set of animals, fish, and fowl, and they are also an important part of the food web of many others. Today, they are valued primarily as wildlife habitat or open space, for flood control, and for water purification. 

Three major pillars of Ramsar Convention:

·Work towards the wise use of all the wetlands.

·Designate suitable wetlands for the list of Wetlands of International Importance and ensure their effective management.

·Cooperate internationally on transboundary wetlands, shared wetland systems, and shared species.

Objectives of Ramsar Convention:

·The primary objective of the Convention is to promote the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands, recognizing their ecological, economic, cultural, and recreational value.

•The Convention encourages the wise use of wetlands, which means the utilization of wetlands in a sustainable manner.

•The Convention promotes international cooperation on wetland conservation and management.

•The Convention encourages countries to identify and designate wetlands of international importance, also known as Ramsar Sites.

•The Convention requires regular monitoring and reporting on the status of wetlands and their resources.

•The Convention promotes public awareness and education on the importance of wetlands and their conservation.

International Organisation Partner of Ramsar Convention:

BirdLife International, International Union for Conservation of Nature, International Water Management Institution (IWMI), Wetlands International, WWF (World wide fund) International, Wildfowl and wetlands Trust (WWT).

Ramsar sites of India:

•Ramsar Sites in India are wetlands of international importance designated under the Ramsar Convention. Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. As of August 2024, India has 85 Ramsar Sites, the highest number in South Asia. It encompasses diverse ecosystems, including freshwater lakes, marshes, mangroves, and high-altitude lakes.

•The largest, smallest, and oldest Ramsar sites in India are:

          Sundarbans Wetland (Largest Ramsar Site in India)- 4230 Sq. Km

          Renuka Wetland (Smallest Ramsar Site in India)- 0.2 Sq. Km

          Chilika Lake (Oldest Ramsar Site in India)- 1165 Sq. Km

•A register called the Montreux Record is maintained as part of the Ramsar sites list. The Ramsar wetland sites where changes in ecological character have occurred or are occurring or are about to occur due to pollution, technological development, or any form of human interference are registered under the Montreux Record. There are only 2 Indian Ramsar Sites in the Montreux Record.

           Keoladeo National Park- Rajasthan

           Loktak Lake- Meghalaya

Ramsar Advisory Missions (RAMs)

Ramsar Advisory Missions (RAMs) help Contracting Parties and Ramsar Site managers respond to threats to the ecological character of Ramsar Sites. The RAM is a mechanism through which a multi-national, multi-disciplinary team of experts provides technical advice to assist Contracting Parties in responding to threats to the ecological character of one or more Ramsar Sites and associated wetland issues. A RAM may address single or multiple problems related to actual or potential change in the ecological character of a Ramsar Site.

Wetlands and the SDGs:

The multiple benefits and services provided by wetlands are essential in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

SDG 1 - End poverty in all its forms everywhere

Wetlands offer a clean and reliable source of water, particularly in times of drought, for cattle, agriculture, and human consumption.

and water scarcity

SDG 2 - End hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture

Humanity depends on nature and its services to produce food. In many parts of the world, food production relies to a large extent on water from man-made and natural wetlands.

SDG 6 - Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

Wetlands are critical to ensure water availability. Almost all of the world’s consumption of freshwater is drawn either directly or indirectly from wetlands. Wetlands provide the essential infrastructure through which freshwater is delivered for human consumption, making wetlands foundational to ensure the availability of water for all.

SDG 8 - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

Wetlands provide water that is fundamental to production systems such as agriculture, but also in cooling processes in manufacturing and energy production. . One of the targets under this goal is to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation. Wetlands contribute to this target by providing services of value to agriculture and industrial production, such as nutrient recycling, protection against flooding and water filtration.

SDG 9 - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

Nature-based solutions can help to mitigate and adapt to these mounting threats with wetlands providing cost-effective natural infrastructure

SDG 11 - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable

Water-related disasters accounted for 90% of all disasters in the last two decades. Nature-based solutions such as coral reefs, mangroves, and salt marshes provide low-cost protection for coastlines by reducing wave height and strength, reducing storm surges.

SDG 13 - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

Wetland soils contain over a third (35%) of the world’s organic carbon. Coastal ecosystems and particularly mangroves, saltmarshes, and seagrass beds sequester two to four times more carbon than terrestrial forests, and these “blue carbon ecosystems” play an important role in climate change mitigation.

SDG 14 - Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development

Close to half of the planet – 3 billion people – depend on marine resources for their primary source of protein. Recognizing the importance of marine resources to people, this goal seeks notably to reduce pollution, sustainably manage and protect coastal ecosystems, and reduce overfishing.

SDG 15 - Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss

Terrestrial ecosystems such as forests and wetlands, and the biodiversity they harbour, can be considered nature’s contribution to people. One target under this goal relates to the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, including wetlands specifically.

Challenges/Problems faced by Ramsar Sites:

•Urbanization and Infrastructure Development

• Pollution

•Climate Change

•Invasive Species

•Overexploitation of Resources

•Hydrological Alterations

•Tourism and Recreational Pressure

•Weak Governance and Enforcement

•Conflicting Land Uses

•Lack of Awareness and Public Engagement

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