Key Documents of the Ramsar Convention

Memorandum of Cooperation with the Convention on Biological Diversity

between

The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar, 1971)

and

The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (Nairobi, 1992)

19 January 1996, Geneva, Switzerland

RECALLING that the Fifth Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Wetlands (held at Kushiro, Japan, in Jume 1993) adopted the "Kushiro Statement" which notes that "it will be natural for the Ramsar Convention to work closely with the Convention on Biological Diversity and to continue to play the leading role in conservation of wetland biodiversity" and that "in the interest of the immediate application of the Convention on Biological Diversity", Ramsar will "reinforce its fundamental principles in pursuit of global environmental solutions";

NOTING that the Second Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (held in Jakarta, Indonesia, in November 1995) adopted Decision II/13 on "Cooperation with other Biodiversity-Related Conventions", under which the Convention's Executive Secretary is requested to coordinate with the Secretariats of other conventions with a view to facilitating the exchange of information and experience, to explore harmonizing of reporting requirements and for coordinating work prograrnmes, and to consult on how other conventions can contribute to the implementation of CBD;

AWARE that the Ramsar Convention Bureau is prepared to cooperate with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity in order to promote cooperation and coordination with other relevant convention secretariats;

THEREFORE the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Bureau of the Ramsar Convention, hereinafter referred to as "secretariats", decide as follows:

Article 1. Institutional cooperation

a. The secretariats will explore the possibility for the organs of one Convention to participate as observers at meetings of the other.

b. The secretariats will inform their respective focal points in each Contracting Party of their cooperative activities, and will seek to promote consultation and cooperation between focal points in those Contracting Parties where the focal points for the two conventions are different.

Article 2. Exchange of information and experience

a. The secretariats will institute procedures for regular exchanges of information in their respective fields of action.

b. The secretariats will work out modalities for exchanging data on biodiversity contained in their databases and the Clearing-house Mechanism under the Convention on Biological Diversity and for cooperating in preparing relevant documents under each Convention.

Article 3. Coordination of programmes of work

a. The secretariats will explore the possibility to coordinate the preparation of their respective work plans.

b. The secretariats will explore the possibility of harmonizing the reporting requirements of Contracting Parties under both Conventions.

Article 4. Joint conservation action

a. The secretariats will consult their Contracting Parties with a view to encouraging integration and consistency between National Strategies, Plans or Programmes under the Convention on Biological Diversity and National Wetland Policies under the Ramsar Convention.

b. The secretariats will consult their Contracting Parties with the view to encouraging effective conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in wetlands, particularly for the purposes of promoting the maintenance of ecological character of sites designated by Contracting Parties for the Ramsar List and promoting the development of a consistent approach for monitoring ecological character and ensuring conservation of wetland biodiversity.

c. The secretariats will endeavour to coordinate their activities in research, training and public awareness activities.

Article 5. Consultation, reporting and further guidance

The secretariats will institute measures for consultations on the implementation of this memorandum of cooperation and will report accordingly to their respective governing bodies and seek further guidance on new areas of cooperation.

Article 6. Review and termination

This agreement may be reviewed at the request of either party and will be terminated by either party giving a one-year written notice.

Done at Geneva, on the 19th day of January 1996

Delmar Blasco, Secretary General, Convention on Wetlands

Calestous Juma, Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity

Delmar Blasco and Calestous Juma signing the Memo of Cooperation, 19 January 1996

For further information, please contact Ramsar Convention Bureau, Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland (tel. +41 22 999 0170, fax +41 22 999 0169, e-mail ). Posted 8 October 1996, Dwight Peck, Ramsar.