Convention's mission
"The conservation and wise use of all wetlands through local, regional and national actions and international cooperation, as a contribution towards achieving sustainable development throughout the world".
The Convention uses a broad definition of the types of wetlands covered in its mission, including swamps and marshes, lakes and rivers, wet grasslands and peatlands, oases, estuaries, deltas and tidal flats, near-shore marine areas, mangroves and coral reefs, and human-made sites such as fish ponds, rice paddies, reservoirs, and salt pans.
Why Wetlands?
- Wetlands provide fundamental ecological services and are regulators of water regimes and sources of biodiversity at all levels - species, genetic and ecosystem.
- Wetlands constitute a resource of great economic, scientific, cultural, and recreational value for the community.
- Wetlands play a vital role in climate change adaptation and mitigation.
- Progressive encroachment on, and loss of, wetlands cause serious and sometimes irreparable environmental damage to the provision of ecosystem services.
- Wetlands should be restored and rehabilitated, whenever possible. Wetlands should be conserved by ensuring their wise use.
Wise use of Wetlands
Wise use of wetlands is defined as
"the maintenance of their ecological character, achieved through the implementation of ecosystem approaches, within the context of sustainable development".
Wise use therefore has at its heart the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands and their resources, for the benefit of humankind.
The Contracting Parties
Under the 3 pillars of the Convention, the Parties have committed themselves to:
- Work towards the wise use of all their wetlands through national land-use planning, appropriate policies and legislation, management actions, and public education;
- Designate suitable wetlands for the List of Wetlands of International Importance and ensure their effective management; and
- Cooperate internationally concerning transboundary wetlands, shared wetland systems, shared species, and development projects that may affect wetlands.