Protected areas, RAMSAR

The Ramsar Convention is a global conservation convention to conserve wetlands and aquatic environments and use them in a sustainable way. The Ramsar Convention was signed in 1971, entered into force in 1975 and was thus the first modern Convention on Biological Diversity. From the outset, the convention work mainly involved the identification of internationally valuable wetlands (Ramsarlands), but in recent years the focus has been increasingly on guidelines for the use of water resources such as river basin management and land use planning. Today, 154 countries have acceded to the Convention, and around the world there are a total of 1,641 Ramsar areas. Each Member State undertakes to designate and preserve at least one area of international importance, a so-called Ramsar area, which is included on a specific list. The criteria for designation are based on ecological, botanical, zoological, limnological or hydrological significance. Ramsar areas can have value, for example, as a resting or breeding area for migratory birds, as a breeding area for fish or as an important resource for water supply. The Ramsar Convention is independent and does not belong to the UN system. However, the Convention works in close cooperation with several other international agreements, including the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Bonn Convention.