COP14 to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

The 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP14) to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands began to discuss the state of wetlands globally. 

• Among the items on the agenda is a draft resolution by China to host an international mangrove centre. 
• The event is being held in two different venues: Wuhan in China and Geneva in Switzerland from November 5-13. 
• Items on the agenda include 
• Waterbird population estimates
• Ramsar Convention criteria
• Lists of wetlands of international importance
• Conservation of small wetlands among others.
• The draft resolution on establishment of the International Mangrove Center in the framework of the Ramsar Convention’ has been submitted by China and is cosponsored by Cambodia and Madagascar. 

Mangroves

• Mangroves are a group of halophyte trees and shrubs that live in the coastal intertidal zone, in dense thickets or forests along tidal estuaries, in salt marshes, and on muddy coasts – they can tolerate salt.
• Mangroves are typically tropical in nature than temperate because they cannot withstand freezing temperatures. Indonesia alone contains between 26% and 29% of the entire global mangrove stock.
• These trees grow in areas with low-oxygen soil, where slow-moving waters allow fine sediments to accumulate.
• They have a dense tangle of prop roots —i.e., exposed supporting roots that make the trees appear to be standing on stilts above the water. This intricate root system:-
• allows the trees to handle the daily rise and fall of tides, which means that most mangroves get flooded at least twice per day.
• Filter salt out of sea water, stay upright in soft, waterlogged soils and give them access to oxygen and nutrients.
• slows the movement of tidal waters, causing sediments to settle out of the water and build up the muddy bottom.
• stabilize the coastline, reducing erosion from storm surges, currents, waves, and tides.
• makes these forests attractive to fish and other organisms seeking food and shelter from predators.
• Its flowers are pale yellow in colour.

Significance of Mangroves

• Ecological Stabilisation: Ecologically mangroves are important in maintaining and building the soil, as a reservoir in the tertiary assimilation of waste.
• They provide protection against cyclones.
• They play a significant role in promoting land accretion, fixation of mud banks, dissipation of winds, tidal and wave energy.
• The dense tangle of roots allows the trees to handle the daily rise and fall of tides.
• Most mangroves get flooded at least twice per day.
• Mangrove forests stabilize the coastline, reducing erosion from storm surges, currents, waves, and tides.
• Mangroves improve the water quality by absorbing nutrients from runoff otherwise cause harmful algal bloom offshore.
• The mangrove ecosystem also supports an incredible diversity of creatures including some species unique to mangrove forests.
• They provide habitat and refuge to a wide array of wildlife such as birds, fish, invertebrates, mammals and plants.
• Cover just 0.1% of the planet’s surface but store up to 10x more carbon per hectare than terrestrial forests. This means that conserving and restoring mangroves is essential to fighting climate change, the warming of the global climate fuelled by increased carbon emissions, that is already having disastrous effects on communities worldwide.
• Intact and healthy mangrove forests have an  potential for sustainable revenue-generating initiatives including ecotourism, sport fishing, and other recreational activities.

Ramsar Convention

• Wetlands have been subjected to destruction and degradation due to human activities such as agriculture, urban and rural development, industrial and municipal pollution. 
• According to global estimates, the extent of wetland in the world has declined between 64-71% in the 20th century.
• As a result, the ecosystem services that wetlands provide to society have declined drastically. 
• In order to address this issue, the Ramsar convention was put forward to drive international attention to wetland decline and degradation.

About Ramsar Convention

• It is an intergovernmental environmental treaty that calls for international cooperation and national action to safeguard and sustainably use wetlands.
• The official name for the convention is the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl Habitat. It is the first and only global treaty for the conservation of a particular ecosystem.
• The Convention was signed on 2nd February 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar. This is where it gets its name from-The Ramsar Convention. 2nd February is celebrated as World Wetlands Day every year.
• The Convention entered into force in 1975. As of 2019, it has 171 member states including India.
• It is important to note that the Ramsar Convention is not legally binding i.e. it has no punitive sanctions for violations upon treaty commitments.  It is also not part of the United Nations and UNESCO system of environmental conventions and agreements.