. Biological diversity of inland water ecosystems
XIII/4. Biological diversity of inland water ecosystems
The Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice,
1. Noting the need for clear expressions of the roles of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Ramsar Convention, and requests the Executive Secretary, in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention, to:
(a) Update the website of the Convention on Biological Diversity, subject to available resources, so as to provide expanded information on, and explanation of, how the Ramsar Convention and the Convention on Biological Diversity collaborate and complement each other in terms of their operations and outputs; and
(b) Collect the views of Parties on ways and means to streamline and make more explicit the roles of the two conventions, and their respective scientific bodies and Secretariats, and present these as part of the in-depth review of the programme of work on the biological diversity of inland water ecosystems scheduled to occur at the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties; and
2. Requests the Executive Secretary to provide the new draft joint work programme (2010 2013) between the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Ramsar Convention for review by the Subsidiary Body and Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice prior to the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties;
3. Recommends that the Conference of the Parties at its ninth meeting:
(a) 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 gratitud 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 in the light of the features listed in paragraph 29 (a) of decision VII/4 of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity;
[(b) Welcomes the ongoing work of the Ramsar Convention on the allocation and management of water for maintaining ecological functions and international cooperation on water resources management; and encourages Parties and other Governments to use the existing guidance, as appropriate, including, inter alia, resolutions IX.1 annex C (an integrate framework for the Ramsar Conventions water-related guidance) and VII.19 (on international cooperation) of the Ramsar Convention;]
[(c) Notes the importance of improved international cooperation to the implementation of the programme of work on the biological diversity of inland water ecosystems, and, recognizing decision VIII/27, paragraph 22, encourages Parties and other Governments to ratify and implement the 1997 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses 5/ also as a means to achieve improved international cooperation regarding the implementation of the programme of work on the biological diversity of inland water ecosystems and to support, as appropriate, other instruments for international cooperation on water resources management operating at the regional, multilateral and bilateral levels;]
(d) Endorses the joint work plan (20072010) between the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Ramsar Convention (UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/13/5, annex);
(e) Invites the Ramsar Convention, the United Nations Environment Programme and the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre to continue their joint work on harmonized reporting between the Ramsar Convention and the Convention on Biological Diversity, including the potential role of the Ramsar Information Sheet for Ramsar Sites;
(f) 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; and
(g) 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 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 on their climate change work.
Note:
5/: General Assembly resolution 51/229 of 21 May 1997, annex.