Ramsar Convention on Wetlands ( UPSC Prelims)

News Context

The 15th Conference of Parties (CoP15) of the Ramsar Convention took place in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, focusing on the theme ‘Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future’.

Ramsar Convention or Convention on Wetlands

Intergovernmental treaty focused on the conservation and wise use of wetlands.
 ▷ Wise use refers to preserving the ecological character of wetlands by employing ecosystem-based approaches within the framework of sustainable development.
 Genesis: Established in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran, and became effective in 1975.
 Members: Includes 172 countries, with India joining in 1982.
 ▷ Contracting parties are required to encourage the wise use of wetlands through national plans, legislation, management actions, and public education.

Mechanisms under Ramsar Convention

Ramsar List (List of Wetlands of International Importance): This is the world’s largest network of protected areas, where Ramsar sites are designated by meeting at least one of nine criteria, such as being a representative, rare, or unique example of a natural or near-natural wetland type, or supporting vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species or threatened ecological communities. Wetlands included in this list gain a new status at the national level and are recognized internationally for their significant value to humanity. The country with the most sites is the United Kingdom, and the largest site is Rio Negro in Brazil, covering 120,000 square kilometers. India has 96 sites, the highest in Asia.
 Montreux Record: This record lists Ramsar wetlands that are experiencing ecological changes due to human interference. In India, Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan and Loktak Lake in Manipur are included. Chilika Lake in Odisha was removed from the list following successful conservation efforts.
 Wetland City Accreditation (WCA): This is a voluntary accreditation system that allows cities valuing their natural or human-made wetlands to gain international recognition and positive publicity for their efforts. It was approved in Uruguay during COP12 of the Ramsar Convention in 2015. The accreditation is valid for six years, after which it must be renewed, provided that the city continues to meet each of the six criteria.

Outcomes of COP15

                                     
Outcome/InitiativeDescription
“Victoria Falls” DeclarationRecognizes the ecological, social, and economic significance of wetlands; emphasizes their role in biodiversity, climate change mitigation, and the UN SDGs
5th Strategic Plan 2025–2030Aims to stop and reverse the loss of wetlands among its Member States
Indo-Burma Ramsar Regional Initiative (IBRRI) Strategic Plan 2025–2030 
     
  • Aim: To aid in the execution of the Strategic Plan objectives of the Ramsar Convention.
  • Secretariat: IUCN
  • Supported by: IUCN's BRIDGE (Building River Dialogue and Governance) project.
  • BRIDGE seeks to promote the sustainable development of shared water resources, ensure water security, conserve biodiversity, and foster peaceful cross-border cooperation.
  • Member States: Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.
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BRIDGE ProgrammeProvides grants for gender mainstreaming and women leadership
Freshwater ChallengeTo boost the implementation of the Convention
Endorsement of establishment of Global Waterbird Estimates Partnership (GWEP)GWEP (under Ramsar Convention) consolidates data sources, enhances monitoring capacity, and supplies information for conservation agreements to address the global decline of waterbird populations and wetland degradation.
India's Contributions 
     
  • Proposed the "Promoting Sustainable Lifestyles for the Wise Use of Wetlands" resolution aligned with Mission LiFE, which was approved.
  • This resolution advocates for pro-planet behavioral changes at both individual and societal levels to aid in wetland preservation.
  • Elected as a member of the Standing Committee for the 2025–2028 triennium representing the South Asia region.
  • Indore and Udaipur awarded Wetland City Accreditation.
  • Indore: Sirpur Lake (Ramsar Site) acknowledged for its water bird congregation and is being developed as a bird sanctuary.
  • Udaipur: Encircled by five major wetlands, namely, Pichola, Fateh Sagar, Rang Sagar, Swaroop Sagar, and Doodh Talai.
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