Biodiversity-related Conventions and Initiatives relevant to Wetlands

Abstract

Although the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands is the primary multilateral intergovernmental environmental agreement (MEA) addressing inland and coastal wetlands, the scope and mandate of a number of other such MEAs also cover issues relevant to wetland conservation and wise use and the conservation of wetland-dependent species. Efforts are underway to establish ways and means of streamlining multiple conventions’ implementation and enhancing synergies. The Ramsar Convention has established bilateral mechanisms for such inter-convention collaboration, which is most well established with the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS). A number of mechanisms have also been established for coordination between the various bodies of the biodiversity cluster of conventions.