Transcript Peatlands in Ramsar Convention – key documents and

Wise Use of Peatlands
Schiphol 13-15 February, 2009
Implementation of Global Action Plan
for Peatlands and Ramsar CC GAP future
Peatlands in Ramsar Convention
CPs recognised peatlands as one of the most important
wetlands by recommendations and resolutions:
COP 6 (1996): Recommendation VI.1 - encouraging further
cooperation on wise use, sustainable development, and conservation of global
peatlands
COP 7 (1999): Recommendation VII.1 - on the wise use of
peatlands” with an annexed “draft global action plan for the wise use and
management of peatlands
COP 8 (2002):
Resolution VIII.3 Climate Change and Wetlands: Impacts
Adaptation and Mitigation - calls for managing wetlands adaptively in
response to the impacts of global climate change; recognises peatlands role in
mitigating impacts of climate change
Resolution VIII.11 Additional guidance for identifying and
designating under-represented wetland types as Wetlands of
International Importance – addresses peatlands as underrepresented
wetland type
Resolution VIII.17 – adopts “guidelines for global action on peatlands”, calls
to establish coordinating committee fro global peatlands action plan
implementation (CC GAP)
Guidelines for Global Action on
Peatlands (GGAP)
Resolution VIII.17
Ramsar Guidelines for Global Action on Peatlands (GGAP) - the
Framework for action on global, regional and national level,
addressing needs in global coordination of actions within following
priorities:
A. Knowledge of global resources
B. Education and public awareness on peatlands
C. Policy and legislative instruments
D. Wise use of peatlands
E. Research networks, regional centres of expertise, and institutional capacity
F. International cooperation
G. Implementation and support
Guidelines defines main threats, problems, emerging issues and
priorities for actions in peatland conservation; provide the
approach and methodology.
More about Ramsar and Peatlands on:
http://www.ramsar.org/types_peatlands.htm
Peatlands in Ramsar Convention
To meet CPs demand, peatlands issues have been
integrated into Ramsar Convention tools and
instruments:
New Guidelines for management planning for Ramsar
sites and other wetlands (adopted 2002)
with specific reference to peatlands
Criteria for Identifying Wetlands of International
Importance (adopted in 2005)
– peatlands as underrepresented wetlands type
Strategic plan for 2002-2008 - cover mechanisms for the delivery
of all three pillars of the Convention (Strategic Plan General Objectives 1-3) in
peatland wise use and conservation
National report format triennium 2002-2005 – included the
special division on peatlands - point 3.2 on GAP implementation
National report format triennium 2005-2008 included
indicator question: Has national action been taken to implement the
Guidelines to Global Action on Peatlands (Res. VIII.17)?
CC GAP mechanism – partnership for peatlands conservation and wise
use
Peatlands information for Ramsar Convention
To meet CPs demands CC GAP and involved organisations
have developed several helpful documents addressed
countries and global implementing agencies:
Wise use of mires and peatlands (2002) – provides
framework and background information on peatlands for decision
makers
Peatlands Wise Use Statement (2002) – provides short
overview of wise use principles related to peatlands in all convention
languages and additionally – in Finnish and Russian
Brochure “Peatlands – Do You Care” (2005)
Explaining peatlands functions and values and refreshing emerging
issues on peatlands
Global Assessment on Peatlands, Biodiversity and
Climate change (2007)
Review of the latest scientific information with key finding as
background for decision making, endorsed by CBD SBSTTA
2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Green House Gas
Inventories – Chapter 7 – Wetlands, focus on peatlands under
extraction
Do countries know that they have
peatlands?
32 countries point peatlands
as not applicable item in
their 2005 NRs:
Europe - 5 (Incl. Greenland!)
Africa – 10 (incl. Botswana!)
Americas – 7 (incl. USA!)
Asia – 4 (incl. Iran and
Kyrgyzstan)
In 2008 NRs only 20
countries remained
declaring this:
Europe – 3
Africa – 10 (incl.
Madagascar, Nigeria,
Zambia)
Americas - 5
Asia – 2 (incl Srilanka
Here the Ramsar convention was signed in 1971
Why we still
need CC GAP in
Ramsar?
This is peat
No knowledge on peatlands diversity
Countries with peat
(Global peatland database, IMCG, 2008)
How countries implement GAP
National Report 2008
Europe
Americas
Africa
Asia
Oceania
YES
NO
PARTLY
PLANNED
NOT
APPLICABLE
12
1
1
6
1
3
9
22
15
2
0
5
1
4
1
0
5
5
2
0
0
5
10
2
1
Emerging issues for peatlands as
identified by CC GAP
To COP 9
• Climate change
• Biodiversity
• Water management
• Poverty
• Wise use
Additional to COP10
• Land degradation
• Global energetic
strategy and wetlands
• Development projects
COP10 issues for peatlands to be
addressed
Draft Resolutions of COP 10 where peatlands should be
addressed (IOPs and countries!):
• The Ramsar Strategic Plan 2009-2014
• The Convention's Programme on communication, education,
participation, and awareness (CEPA) 2009-2014
• Partnerships and synergies with Multilateral Environmental
Agreements and other institutions
• Resolution on wetlands and extractive industries
• Wetlands and human health
• Wetlands and poverty reduction
• Climate change and wetlands
• Wetlands and 'biofuels'
What are principles of CC GAP
• Partnership of NGOs, governments,
professional organizations
• Eligibility under Ramsar Convention –
mandate form CPs to coordinate Global
Actions for Peatlands implementation
• Cooperation with convention bdies (STRP, SC,
Secretariat)
• Direct work with countries
• Direct work with other conventions
• Involvement of wide expertise
Advantages of partnership approach
• involvement of wide range of experts with different
views guarantee full list of items on agenda;
• Balanced interests of various stakeholders’
represented in the international conventions and
processes;
• benefit from cooperation on all levels from local to
the international;
• the resources of organisations effectively used by
sharing and temporary replacement
• the free exchange of information - opportunity for
improvement of background knowledge for decision
making…..
What are future tasks for CC GAP
• Global assessments of peatlands as technical
report to each next COP
• Emerging issues raise to be addressed by Ramsar
convention
• To cooperate and address other conventions
• Provide technical papers to address and explain
emerging issues, background information for
decision
• Contribute guidelines for peatland management
(wise use and conservation)
• Assist implementation of GAP on national level
What are operational principles
for CC GAP
•
•
•
•
•
•
Comprehensive representation
Rotated chairmanship
Secretariat (volunteering currently by WI)
Integration/coordination with STRP
Technical reports to SC and COPs
Regular and open information exchange (STRP
support service)
• Networking
Thank you for your
attention
and cooperation