Posted on November, 18 2002

The Ramsar Convention and freshwater: "Wetlands: water, life and culture" is the theme of Ramsar’s 8th Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP8). With predictions that diversion of freshwater for human use will rise from half to two-thirds of the water available in 2025, urgent action is required to sustain the health of wetlands and reverse the dramatic decline in freshwater and coastal biodiversity. COP8 is crucial to the Convention’s continuing growth and evolution as an instrument for the sustainable use and conservation of freshwater and coastal resources. In particular, wetland conservation needs to be integrated in poverty reduction strategies, water resources and also coastal management plans, and river basin management programmes. The World Commission on Dams’ recommendations need to be applied by Contracting Parties to minimise growing damage to wetlands from dams. WWF’s main asks at COP8: 1) WWF is calling on Contracting Parties to redouble their efforts to systematically conserve wetlands, including by the designation of more Ramsar sites to conserve more than 250 million hectares through the List of Wetlands of International Importance by 2010. WWF supports renewed efforts to conserve wetlands in mountains, using a river basin approach, and in coastal and marine habitats. 2) Further attention is required to better manage wetland sites, including through renewed use of the Montreux Record, emulating Algeria’s excellent work, and guarding against the careless destruction of Ramsar sites. 3) The host nation, Spain, has a National Hydrological Plan that proposes an inter basin water transfer and the construction of 118 new dams. This would inflict massive damage on the country’s wetlands that in WWF’s view is inconsistent with the obligations of a Contracting Party. This outdated plan ignores economically, socially and environmentally better alternatives for water supply. This Conference must not give tacit endorsement to the Spanish Government’s Plan. Further, Spain’s European partners must act to deny funding and enforce European Union Directives to redirect Spain’s proposed water infrastructure developments. 4) Greater resolve is required. Only 27% of Contracting Parties met or exceeded their pledges for new Ramsar sites since CoP7 and the gross under-representation of coral, mangrove, seagrass and peat land wetland sites on the Ramsar List has not been rectified. 5) We welcome the 18 nations that have joined the Convention since CoP7. WWF is also pleased at the progress in supporting Small Island States and recommends further action. Yet WWF remains concerned that the Convention’s meagre budget of US$2.1 million, a fraction of that of comparable treaties, is inadequate to fulfil Ramsar’s mission by assisting developing nation Contracting Parties. WWF calls on the Conference to adopt the minimal budget increase proposed by the Standing Committee of 5% per year (2% inflation, 3% real growth). The Small Grants Fund mechanism is one critical and effective means of support for developing countries that remains grossly under-funded. Today WWF focused on the following: Spanish National Hydrological Plan (SNHP) WWF today issued a press statement reacting to the Spanish Minister of the Environment, Jaume Mates’ failure to address delegates at the opening ceremony, which is standard practice at Ramsar Convention meetings. WWF-Spain has been lobbying for months for the Spanish government to halt the plan to build 118 dams, damaging the Ebro Delta and displacing thousands of people. “WWF would have welcomed the minister’s presence to discuss the issue of SNHP,” said Jaime Pittock, Director of WWF’s Living Waters Programme.” NGOs from across Spain and around the world have been asking Spain to do the right thing and apply the resolutions of this Convention in a more transparent and effective manner.” Speech by the International Organization Partners, delivered by Dr Claude Martin Birdlife International, Wetlands International, IUCN and WWF are international organization partners (IOP) of the Ramsar Convention. Dr. Claude Martin delivered a joint speech on behalf of the IOPs noting increased emphasis on the Convention’s principles in mainstream water management in the last decade, but expressed regret that only 30 per cent of pledges by countries to designate 398 Ramsar sites between COP7 in 1999 and COP8 this year, were fulfilled. Concerns over the SNHP were also raised, drawing warm applause from NGOs. WWF receives Ramsar awards Two awards were given in recognition of WWF’s work in Europe. In the NGO Consortium category, Daphne (Slovak Republic), Distelverein (Austria), Veronica (Czech Republic) and WWF International – Danube Carpathian Programme were recognized for their work to protect the transboundary area of the Morava Dyje Floodplains shared by the countries. Dr. Monique Coulet, WWF-France Board member and member of their Scientific Advisory Committee, was recognized for her scientific research, work on the links between water cycles and ecology, and conservation of particular areas such as the Loire River. For more information: Lisa Hadeed, Communications Manager, Living Waters Programme, tel. +41 79 3721346 Mitzi Borromeo, Press Officer, WWF International, tel. +41 79 4773553