Report of the 24th Meeting of the Standing Committee, Nov.-Dec. 1999 - Annexes
CONVENTION ON WETLANDS (Ramsar, Iran, 1971)
24th Meeting of the Ramsar Standing Committee
Gland, Switzerland: 29 November – 2 December 1999
Report of the 24th Meeting of the Standing Committee
Annex 1
SGF funds available for allocation in 1999
(in Swiss francs, at 31.10.99)
| CONFIRMED FUNDS | |
| Balance available after 1998 allocations | * 69,165 |
| Contributions received for the 1999 SGF cycle: | |
| Austria, Federal Ministry for the Environment,Youth & Family Affairs | 20,000 |
| Belgium, Ministère de la Région Wallon | 17,500 |
| Japan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs | 100,000 |
| Monaco | 883 |
| United Kingdom, Department of the Environment | 21,105 |
| United States, Department of State | ** 219,805 |
| WWF: International | 12,000 |
| Bureau: allocation from the core 1999 budget | 100,000 |
| GRAND TOTAL | 560,458 |
| Minus 10% administration fee | (56,046) |
| TOTAL CONFIRMED FUNDS | SFR 504,412 |
| PLEDGED CONTRIBUTIONS | |
| European Habitat Conservation Stamp Program | 15,000 |
| France, Ministère de l’Environnement | 5,000 |
| Minus 10% administration fee | (2,000) |
| TOTAL PLEDGED FUNDS | 18,000 |
| GRAND TOTAL AVAILABLE FOR ALLOCATION | SFR 522,412 |
| AMOUNT REQUIRED TO FUND THE 13 PROJECTS IN CATEGORY A1 | SFR 520,208 |
* This amount includes Sfr40,000 that were allocated in 1998 and not disbursed.
** The United States indicated that the amount of SFR 74,000 originally reserved for coral reefs projects could be used for the 1999 SGF cycle in general, with the proviso that the only coral reef project (project number 39 submitted by Israel) be funded from this amount.
CONVENTION ON WETLANDS (Ramsar, Iran, 1971)
24th Meeting of the Ramsar Standing Committee
Gland, Switzerland: 29 November – 2 December 1999
Report of the 24th Meeting of the Standing Committee
Annex 2
Ramsar Small Grants Fund: Category A1 and A2 project proposals
Category A1 Projects, recommended for immediate funding (revised)
COUNTRY and project number | Project Title | Amount Requested (SFr) | Comments |
| AFRICA | |||
| Chad – No. 4 | Protecting Chad’s wetlands through the development of a national legislation for wetlands | 38,992 | Project is intended to foster the integration of wetland issues into the national legislative framework and promote the formulation of a national wetland policy. |
| Congo, Dem. Rep. of - No. 3 | Integrated management of fishery resources in the lower Congo River | 40,000 | A community-based initiative which could serve as a test for the implementation of Resolution VII.8 of COP7. |
| Senegal – No. 1 | Rehabilitation of the hydrological system of the "Gueumbeul Reserve" Ramsar Site | 37,021 | Good project for promoting wetland rehabilitation. |
| Togo – No. 2 | Wetland inventory and identification of measures for the rehabilitation of Togo’s South West Lagoons | 36,813 | Good project for promoting wetland inventory, a high priority in Africa. |
| ASIA | |||
| China – No. 20 | Training needs assessment for wetland conservation and wise use in China | 40,000 | Good model; should be encouraged to document the experience (case study).*Report outstanding from 1993 project |
| Iran – No. 22 | Integrated management plan for the "Hara Biosphere Reserve" (Khuran Straits Ramsar site) | 40,000 | Project addresses a priority need in the country and is in line with recommendations of 1997 Ramsar Advisory Mission. *Report outstanding from 1996 project (project delayed due to difficulties with transferring the funds). |
| Sri Lanka – No. 21 | Understanding the ecological character of the lagoon system in Bundala National Park | 40,000 | Integrated management planning has been identified as a priority need for this site. *Report outstanding from 1997 project (project delayed due to administrative problems) |
| EUROPE | |||
| Armenia – No. 36 | Ecologo-economic valuation of Armenian wetlands: a step towards the elaboration of the National Wetland Policy | 40,000 | After implementing the project some wetlands should be added to the Ramsar list. |
| Latvia – No. 37 | Measures to improve the management of the Teici State Nature Reserve Ramsar site and surrounding wetlands | 33,000 | Clear objectives, justifications and financial breakdown, detailed methodology, new idea of highly catalytic nature, could become a model for many countries. |
| Lithuania – No. 35 | Implementation of GIS Technology in Lithuanian Ramsar Sites | 35,900 | Clear objectives, methodology and work plan, the main aim is capacity building; thus highly catalytic project. |
| NEOTROPICS | |||
| Brazil – No. 61 | Development of a georeferenced data bank of Brazilian wetlands | 40,000 | Well prepared project. It will generate a baseline land-cover inventory using satellite imagery for Ramsar site designations. |
| Colombia - No. 60 | Development of the management plan for the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta (Ramsar site) | 40,000 | Well prepared project. This Ramsar site constitutes one of the most important wetland system of the country. |
| Peru – No. 62 | Rehabilitation and maintenance of the catchment, including water input and distribution, in the reserved area "Pantanos de Villa" (Ramsar site) | 19,582 | Well thought proposal; the project could have a long-term impact on this Ramsar site in the outskirts of the city of Lima, subject to extreme pressures due to its location within a metropolitan area.* Statement of account of final report outstanding from 1997 project. |
| OCEANIA | |||
| Papua New Guinea – No. 81 | Development of a strategy and capacity for management and nomination of Ramsar sites | 38,900 | Vital for capacity building in a country under extreme financial hardship at present. |
| A1 project total | 520,208 |
Category A2 projects, recommended for funding should additional funds for the SGF 1999 cycle become available
Priority for funding (based on score) | COUNTRY and project number | Project Title | Amount Requested (SFr) | Comments |
1 (score 33) | Madagascar – No. 5 | Concerted efforts for the development and implementation of a Management Plan for the Manambolomaty Ramsar Site | 38’015 | A good model for wetland management in Madagascar. |
2 (score 32) | Niger – No. 6 | Formulation of the Management Plan for the "W" National ParK and the Tamou and Dosso Reserves | 25’000 | Intended to prepare a mangement plan for a transboundary Ramsar site. |
3 (score 30) | Nepal – No. 23 | Koshi Tappu Wetland Conservation Project | 40’000 | Project addresses a priority need in the country. *Final report outstanding from 1993 project. In the Subgroup on Finance, Japan indicated that this project should be funded out of Japan’s voluntary contribution held by the Ramsar Bureau. |
4 (score 21) | Suriname - No. 63 | Strengthening of the protection of the North Commewijne/Marowijne Area | 34,675 | To support the initiation of the implementation of the management plan of the protected area. Project report outstanding from 1997 project. |
5 (score 21) | Costa Rica - No. 64 | Training and education center for wetlands of Palo Verde National Park | 40,343 | The long-term impact will be extremely important. Final report outstanding from 1993 project. |
6 (score 20) | Republic of Korea - No. 24 | Ecological study for the establishment of an ecological park on the brackish tidal flats of Suncheon Bay, Rep of Korea | 40’000 | Project addresses a priority need in the country |
7 (score 17) | Poland – No. 38 | Increase Biebrza National Park Acceptance through Active Educational and Public Awareness Actions | 37,075 | Clear objectives, well described methodology. |
8 ( score 15) | Israel – No. 39 | The biodiversity and dynamic of the Vermetid Reef of Shiqmona (Haifa) | 40,000 | Projects on reef systems should be promoted. The USA requested project be funded from US contribution to SGF earmarked for coral reef projects. |
| A2 projects total | 295,108 |
CONVENTION ON WETLANDS (Ramsar, Iran, 1971)
24th Meeting of the Ramsar Standing Committee
Gland, Switzerland: 29 November – 2 December 1999
Report of the 24th Meeting of the Standing Committee
Annex 3
Ramsar Voluntary Fund for the Convention’s Outreach Programme 1999-2002
Actions to promote communication, education and public awareness to support implementation of the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971)
Terms of Reference
1. The Ramsar Voluntary Fund for Outreach Programme 1999-2002 is established pursuant Resolution VII.28 on Financial and budgetary matters adopted by the 7th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (Costa Rica, May 1999), which inter alia:
18. DECIDES to establish a Voluntary Fund for the Convention’s Outreach Programme (Resolution VII.9); REQUESTS the Standing Committee to prepare and adopt the Terms of Reference for the Fund at its annual meeting in 1999; and INVITES Contracting Parties, NGOs, foundations, the private sector and other institutions to contribute to the Fund.
2. The purpose of this Voluntary Fund is to facilitate the implementation of the Convention’s Outreach Programme 1999-2002 as adopted by Ramsar COP7, particularly in developing countries and countries with economies in transition.
3. Part of the resources in the Fund could be used by the Ramsar Bureau to animate the network of National Focal Points for Wetland Communication, Education and Public Awareness (Wetland CEPA), which Contracting Parties to the Convention have been invited to nominate pursuant to paragraph 14 of the Outreach Programme.
4. The Fund may receive contributions from governments, intergovernmental institutions, national and international non-governmental organizations, foundations, the private sector, and individuals. It may also receive legacies and endowment funds.
5. Donations to the Fund may be non-earmarked, destined to any aspects of the implementation of the Programme, or for specific type of activities and/or projects. When earmarked donations are received, a special subproject within the Fund shall be opened to administer the donation(s) for each particular activity or project.
6. Interest earned by resources contributed to the Fund shall be reverted to it.
7. The Fund shall be administered by the Secretary General of the Convention, following the guidance received from the Standing Committee and the Subgroup on Finance, as appropriate.
