1.Welcomes with appreciation the progress of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention in achieving a more comprehensive coverage of wetlands supporting a wider range of inland water biodiversity through the designation of Ramsar sites;
notes the outcomes in this regard of the ninth meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention including,
inter alia, resolutions IX.1, annex A (“A Conceptual Framework for the wise use of wetlands and the maintenance of their ecological character”), IX.1, annex B (“Revised Strategic Framework and guidelines for the future development of the List of Wetlands of International Importance”) and IX.21 (“Taking into account the cultural values of wetlands”); and
extends it gratitude to the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention for addressing
decision VII/4, paragraphs 29 and 30, of the seventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity; and
invites the Ramsar Convention to continue to review the criteria for the designation of Ramsar Sites, as appropriate, in the light of practical experience concerning their application regarding the features listed in paragraph 29 (a) of
decision VII/4 of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity;
2.Welcomes the ongoing work of the Ramsar Convention on the allocation and management of water for maintaining ecosystem functions and provision of their goods and services and international cooperation on water resources management, initiated by the resolution VIII.1 (“Guidelines for allocation and management of water for maintaining the ecological functions of wetlands”), and encourages Parties and other Governments to use the existing guidance, as appropriate, including, inter alia, resolutions IX.1 annex C (“An integrated framework for the Ramsar Convention’s water-related guidance”) and VII.19 (“Guidelines for international cooperation under the Ramsar Convention”) of the Ramsar Convention;
3.Notes the importance of improved arrangements for international cooperation on water resources management to the implementation of the programme of work on the biological diversity of inland water ecosystems, and
recalling
decision VIII/27, paragraph 22,
further notes the existence of other instruments for international cooperation operating at the regional, multilateral and bilateral levels (including those in document
UNEP/CBD/COP/9/INF/4), and
urges Parties and other Governments, as appropriate and where necessary, to strengthen relevant international cooperative arrangements for the management of inland watercourses and waterbodies consistent with Article 5 of the Convention and as a contribution towards the achievement of the 2010 target of achieving a substantial reduction in the rate of biodiversity loss;
4.Endorses the joint work plan (2007–2010) between the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Ramsar Convention (
UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/13/5, annex);
5.Invites the Ramsar Convention, the United Nations Environment Programme and the its World Conservation Monitoring Centre to continue their joint work on harmonized reporting between the Ramsar Convention and the Convention on Biological Diversity;
6.Invites the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention, in collaboration with the Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, to report on progress on, and the implications of, harmonized reporting to a meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice prior to the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties;
7.Recognizing the vulnerability of inland water ecosystems to climate change, and the consequent need to improve their management, welcomes the ongoing and planned work of the Ramsar Convention on wetlands and climate change and invites the Conference of the Parties to the Ramsar Convention, at its tenth meeting, to consider appropriate action in relation to wetlands, water, biodiversity and climate change to further improve synergy and collaboration between the Ramsar Convention and the Convention on Biological Diversity in their work on climate change.
