Ramsar Convention
| Convention on Wetlands | |
|---|---|
Ramsar logo
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| Signed | 2 February 1971 |
| Location | Ramsar (Iran) |
| Effective | 21 December 1975 |
| Condition | Ratification by 7 states |
| Parties | 169 |
| Depositary | Director General of UNESCO |
| Languages |
English, French and Spanish www |
English, French and Spanish
The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. It is also known as the Convention on Wetlands. It is named after the city of Ramsar in Iran, where the Convention was signed in 1971.
Every three years, representatives of the Contracting Parties meet as the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP), the policy-making organ of the Convention which adopts decisions (Resolutions and Recommendations) to administer the work of the Convention and improve the way in which the Parties are able to implement its objectives.
The most recent COP12 was held in Punta del Este, Uruguay, in 2015. COP13 will take place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in 2018.
The List of Wetlands of International Importance included 2,231 Ramsar Sites in March 2016 covering over 2.1 million square kilometres. The country with the highest number of Sites is the United Kingdom with 170, and the country with the greatest area of listed wetlands is Bolivia, with over 140,000 square kilometres.
The Ramsar Sites Information Service (RSIS) is a searchable database which provides information on each Ramsar Site.
As of 2016 there are 18 Transboundary Ramsar Sites.
As of 2016 there are 15 Ramsar Regional Initiatives covering regions of the Mediterranean, Asia, Africa and South America.
The Ramsar Convention works closely with six other organisations known as International Organization Partners (IOPs). These are:
These organizations support the work of the Convention by providing expert technical advice, helping implement field studies, and providing financial support. The IOPs also participate regularly as observers in all meetings of the Conference of the Parties and as full members of the Scientific and Technical Review Panel.
The Convention collaborates with a network of partners:
Conference of the Parties (COP)
Conference of the Parties (COP) is the Convention's governing body consisting of all governments that have ratified the treaty. This ultimate authority reviews progress under the Convention, identifies new priorities, and sets work plans for members. The COP can also make amendments to the Convention, create expert advisory bodies, review progress reports by member nations, and collaborate with other international organizations and agreements.
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