Ramsar Convention on Wetlands / MedWet

5th meeting of the Mediterranean Wetlands Committee, Izmir, Turkey, 12-15 June 2003

· Guidelines for the allocation and management of water for maintaining the ecological functions of wetlands (Resolution VIII.1);

· The Report of the World Commission on Dams (WCD) and its relevance to the Ramsar Convention (Resolution VIII.2);

· Guidelines for rendering the use of groundwater compatible with the conservation of wetlands (Resolution VIII.40);

· The impacts of natural disasters, particularly drought, on wetland ecosystems (Resolution VIII.35);

· Agriculture, wetlands and water resource management (Resolution VIII.34) and

· Guiding principles for taking into account the cultural values of wetlands for the effective management of sites (Resolution VIII.19);

· Agriculture and wetland interactions (David Molden and Rebecca Tharme, International Water Management Institute)

· The mitigation of the environmental impacts of irrigated agriculture (Assou Mohammi, North African Wetland Network)

· Legal and socio-economic interactions of wetlands and water management (Christine Navarro, consultant)

· The cultural and agricultural heritage of Mediterranean wetlands (Maria José Vinãls, SEHUMED), and

· A project concept for MedWet Initiative work on water use, agriculture and wetlands (Nejib Benessaiah, MedWet Coordination Unit).

· Water scarcity, exacerbated by increasing and persistent droughts.

· Over-abstraction of water resources.

· Construction of large dams, their impacts in the Mediterranean Region. (I)

· Lack of effective cross-sectoral partnerships in water resource management.

· Assessment of the environmental water needs of wetlands.

· Assessment and monitoring of the different water uses in the basin.

· Assessment of impacts associated with the construction and operation of large dams in the Mediterranean Region. (I)

· Monitoring of groundwater levels, as an indication of the degree of use of groundwater resources.

· Monitoring of surface water quantity and quality.

· Development of a uniform wetlands monitoring strategy for the Mediterranean Region. (I)

· Addressing the lack of integrated, sustainable management of water resources, at both local and international levels. (I)

· Ensuring integrated water resources management as a key element in the conservation and wise use of wetland ecosystems in internationally shared (transboundary) river basins. (I)

· Taking an ecosystem approach to integrated river basin management. (I)

· Adoption of a participatory approach to ensure effective stakeholder participation.

· Educating stakeholders on wetland values and functions.

· Improving transparency in water management decision-making.

· Improving inter-sectoral collaboration in integrated water resources management.

· Enhancing inclusion of land use planning in the process of assessing and managing basin water resources.

· Improving land use patterns.

· Better allocating water resources between wetlands and agriculture, including development of methodologies and mechanisms for analysis and negotiation of tradeoffs between the multiple uses of water for appropriate basin-level allocation of water resources, specifically including the integration of agriculture and ecological water needs.

· Developing mechanisms for the implementation of environmental water allocations for wetlands and for monitoring the effects of implementation.

· Integrating assessment of water quantity and quality issues, rather than treating each issue separately.

· Integrating groundwater and surface water uses and wetland ecosystem water requirements.

· Responding to the absence of post-project monitoring of the efficiency of water resource projects.

· Pricing policy for agricultural products.

· Subsidies for intensification of agricultural production.

· Improving the poor levels of vertical communication and cooperation among different levels of authority, at all levels from local to state and national levels and also inter-sectorally (e.g. among ministries).

· Improving inter-sectoral harmonization of policies and legislation.

· Improving regional harmonization of policies and legislation, especially for transboundary wetland systems. (I)

· Improving agro-environmental policies, including adequate inclusion of the pillar concerning agro-environmental policies, which are very important for wetland conservation, in the current reform of the EU Common Agriculture Policy. (I)

· Increasing attention to different wetland types within the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive. (I)

· Low income from agriculture leading to unsustainable agricultural practices.

· Competition in trade amongst countries reducing the potential for sustainable agricultural practices. (I)

· Preparation of monetary and non-monetary valuations of wetland goods and services (processes/functions) as an essential tool for the assessment of wetland importance - and to demonstrate to decision-makers the value of and rationale for wetland conservation.

· Assessment of the cost of the water required by wetlands (environmental water requirement).

· Examination of water pricing, e.g., tariff structures, revenue collection.

· Evaluation of costs and benefits to wetland ecosystems of organic farming (higher value crops).

· Enhancing the livelihoods of the rural poor.

· Providing viable alternatives to agriculture development, especially agricultural intensification, including provision of alternative livelihoods strategies to farmers, e.g., through agro-tourism and eco-tourism.

· Irrigation return flows (drainage water).

· Increasing and decreasing salinity – in different places.

· Impacts of application of agro-chemicals – pesticides and fertilisers, including nitrate pollution.

· Potential for synergistic impacts of agricultural and other forms of water pollution (e.g., industrial effluent, sewage, solid waste).

· Use of agrochemicals in wetlands.

· Aquifer (groundwater) contamination.

· Identification of pollution sources.

· Determination of water quality objectives or standards for contaminants.

· Re-using wastewater in sustainable and environmentally sound ways, in relation to surface and groundwater.

· Addressing the effects of wastewater re-use on groundwater quality and contamination.

· Water-inefficient agricultural and irrigation practices.

· Vulnerability of particular wetland types, such as temporary pools, to existing agricultural practices.

· Reviewing the barriers to the achievement of the sustainable use of water in agriculture.

· Further assessment of needs for expansion of irrigation infrastructure.

· Promoting funding for environmentally sustainable agricultural practices.

· Increasing the efficiency of irrigation systems/networks, for the purpose of water saving, e.g., through irrigation technology, repair of old and/or poorly maintained irrigation systems, and appropriate crop selection based on the availability of water resources.

· Using less water-demanding crops, particularly around and/or in wetlands.

· Using appropriate irrigation systems (e.g., drip, sprinkler, etc.).

· Promoting sustainable/traditional agricultural practices that are compatible with wetland conservation, avoiding practices that are liable to alter wetland ecological character.

· Protection of the different species/varieties of crops used historically, i.e. protection of diversity of genetic resources.

· Preservation and promotion of artisanal methods of wetland farming traditionally used in the region. (I)

· Low institutional capacity and resources, including financial, human and technical, and a need for enhanced training opportunities.

· Increasing public awareness of wetland-related issues.

· Developing a common education strategy or programme on wetland values and functions for the Mediterranean Region. (I)

· Transferring scientific information into appropriate formats for the delivery of technical information, e.g. on ecological issues, to non-technical sectors, including managers and decision-makers.

· Lack of consistent international and inter-sectoral data collection and measurement standards and protocols. (I)

· Lack of cooperation and collaboration between various governmental institutions on data and information exchange.

· Research into techniques for assessing the environmental water requirements of non-riverine wetlands, including groundwater-dependent wetlands.

· Research addressing the impact of irrigation on wetlands.

· Hydrogeological and hydrological research on wetlands to develop improved understanding of hydrological regimes.

· Developing a comparative typology of wetland types and types of agriculture, in terms of factors such as ecosystem sensitivity, intensity and scale of farming.

· Encouraging better curation and accessibility of relevant information systems, including existing data collections and databases.

· Monitoring the impact, including from climate change and drought, of agricultural activities on wetland ecosystems.

· Addressing the effects of water use in agriculture on wetland functions and values, including biodiversity.

· Developing a MedWet methodology for assessing the level required to maintain the natural water flows (quantity and quality) in wetlands.

· Promoting practices for minimising water usage.

· Developing and applying wetland monetary and non-monetary valuation methodology in relation to agricultural / rural development.

· Assessing and managing alien invasive species in relation to agriculture and wetland resources.

· Promoting wetland interests when water allocation decisions are being made (at local or basin levels.

· Evaluating the effects of treated wastewater on wetlands, e.g., for the restoration of a degraded wetland.

· Assessing the role of dams and reservoirs in maintaining wetland ecosystems.

· Establishing interaction with large infrastructure funding organizations.

· Encouraging improved relations between environmental experts and agricultural people, including through

· providing assistance in coordination, management planning, legislation and monitoring in relation to impacts of agriculture on wetlands;

· transferring successful examples of agricultural practices, methods and experience which are consistent with wetland wise use; and

· providing assistance in decision-making processes for good agricultural practices and development.

· Assessing the potential impacts that agricultural trade and pricing policies may have on wetlands, and ensuring that these issues are raised during policy debate.

· Reviewing opportunities for establishing a mechanism for the certification of products in relation to wetland wise use, in cooperation with the Ramsar Bureau evaluation of establishing a ‘Ramsar label’ for wetland products.

· Developing and disseminating guidance of the benefits and risks of changing to organic farming.

· Assessing impacts of irrigation on wetlands (case studies), leading to proposals for improvement of policy and irrigation practices.

· Developing guidance for recommended crop patterns in areas close to wetlands.

· Pursuing agriculture-related global issues, e.g., sustainable utilisation of wetland products.

· Assessing the effects and impacts of agriculture on livelihoods of wetland-dependent communities.

· Developing a water quality monitoring programme in relation to agricultural chemicals (fertilizers and pesticides).

· Studying the carrying capacity of different wetland types to cope with pollution loads.

· Encouraging eco-agriculture so as to decrease the effect of pollution on wetlands.

· Developing a public awareness programme based on good practice case studies of agriculture and wetlands from Mediterranean countries.

· Compiling and disseminating information on all types of cultural values of wetlands.

· Developing tools and incentives to maintain and preserve traditional agricultural practices that are environmentally and economically sound.

· Encouraging the development of ecotourism in wetland agricultural landscapes.

· Developing regional activities which address common problems in the region or subregions, including the issues of funding.

· Reinforcing the regulatory, technical, and institutional tools for a multi-sectoral management.

For further information about the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, please contact the Ramsar Convention Bureau, Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland (tel +41 22 999 0170, fax +41 22 999 0169, e-mail ramsar@ramsar.org). Posted 4 August 2003, Dwight Peck, Ramsar.