In February 1971, the Convention on Wetlands of International
Importance was signed in Ramsar, Iran. These wetlands are of
particular importance as habitats of waterfowl. The convention is an
inter-governmental treaty which guarantees international co-operation
in the preservation of wetlands, their functions and
biodiversity. Parties joining the Ramsar Convention undertake to:
designate wetlands for inclusion in the List of Wetlands of International Importance
and preserve and maintain their ecological balance,
include wetland conservation considerations in their national plans of development
and promote the wise use of wetlands,
promote the development policy of wetland preservation by establishing nature
reserves in wetlands and promote training in the fields of wetland research,
management and wardening,
consult with other contracting parties with regard to cross-border wetlands, shared
water systems and joint development projects in wetlands.
The Ramsar Convention has so far been joined by 108 contracting
parties from around the world. On the basis of the criteria determined
by the convention, the list of important locations encompasses 897
wetland sites with a total surface area of 68 million hectares. But
despite this international treaty, wetlands remain on the list of the
most threatened ecosystems in the world.