Analytical Study on Threats to Wetland Ecosystems and their Solutions in the Framework of the Ramsar Convention

Wetlands are one of the most important ecosystems on
Earth. Nevertheless, various challenges threaten these ecosystems
and disrupt their ecological character. Among these, the effects of
human-based threats are more devastating. Following mass
degradation of wetlands during 1970s, the Ramsar Convention on
Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971) was concluded to conserve wetlands
of international importance and prevent destruction and degradation
of such ecosystems through wise use of wetlands as a mean to
achieve sustainable development in all over the world. Therefore, in
this paper, efforts have been made to analyze threats to wetlands and
then investigate solutions in the framework of the Ramsar
Convention. Finally, in order to operate these mechanisms, this study
concludes that all states should in turn make their best effort to
improve and restore global wetlands through preservation of
environmental standards and close contribution and also through
taking joint measures with other states effectively.





References:
[1] A. Nazaridoust, ‘Conservation of Wetlands: Adaptability to Climate
Change’ Conservation of Iranian Wetlands Project, World Wetlands Day
Bulletin, No. 7, 2010, p.1.
[2] W. J. Mitsch & J. G. Gosselink, "Wetlands”, Fourth Edition, Wiley
Publications, 2007, p.4.
[3] K. Juliano & S. P. Simonovic, "The Impact of Wetlands on Flood
Control in the Red River Valley of Manitoba”, Final Report to
International Joint Commission, Natural Resources Institute, University
of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, September 1999, p.8.
[4] United Nations Environmental Programs, "The Environment in the
News”, Wednesday, 17 October 2012, p.2.
[5] G. V. T. Mathews, "The Ramsar Convention0020on Wetlands: Its
History and Development” Ramsar Convention Secretariat, Gland,
Switzerland, 2013, p.8.
[6] Supra Note 2.
[7] Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, "Ecosystems and Human Well-
Being: Wetlands and Water Synthesis." World Resources Institute,
Washington, DC, 2005, p.2.
[8] Ramsar Convention Secretariat, "the Ramsar Convention Manual: a
Guide to the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971)”, 6th Ed,
Ramsar Convention Secretariat, Gland, Switzerland, 2013, p.21.
[9] Supra notes 2 & 5, p.17.
[10] R. Costanza., et al, "The Value of Coastal Wetlands for Hurricane
Protection”, ambio, Vol. 37, No. 4, 2008, pp. 241-248.
[11] ], J. Kusher, "Wetlands and Natural Hazards”, Association of State
Wetlands Managers, Inc, Helderberg Trail, Berne, 2009, pp. 3-5.
[12] Ramsar Convention Secretariat, "Flood Control”, Fact Sheet 1 of a 10
series, Gland, Switzerland, 2013, pp.1 & 2.
[13] A. Ustun., et aql., "Preliminary Results ofLand Subsidence Monitoring
Project in Konya Closed Basin between 2006–2009 by Means of GNSS
Observations”; Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Science, Vol. 10, 2010,
pp.1151-1157.
[14] Supra Note 11, p.10.
[15] Prince Edward Island, "Wetlands and Soil Erosion” Fact Sheet 7, Easter
Habitat Joint Venture, PEI Wetland Notes 8198, Refer
to:www.gov.pe.ca/photos/original/eef_wildlife_p7.pdf.
[16] R. A. Gleason & N. H. Euliss Jr., Sedimentation of Prairie Wetlands,
U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, Northern
Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Great Plains Research, Vol. 8, No. 1,
1998, p.99.
[17] B. Zhou, et al., "The Evaluation of the Value of Soil Erosion on
Wetlands in Beijing, Photonics and Imaging for Agricultural
Engineering, SPIE, Volume 7752, 2011,p.1.
[18] Supra note 15.
[19] S. Gilbert et al, "The Impact of Drought on Coastal Wetlands in the
Carolinas”, State of Knowledge Report, January 2012, p.5.
[20] The National Drought Mitigation Center, "Types of Drought Impacts”,
referto:http://drought.unl.edu/DroughtforKids/HowDoesDroughtAffectOurLi
ves/TypesofDroughtImpacts.aspx.
[21] J. Tian, et al, "Effects of drought on the archaeal community in soil of
the Zoige wetlands of the Qinghai–Tibetan plateau”, European Journal
of Soil Biology, Vol.52, 2012, p.84.
[22] G. E. Houis, "Environmental Impacts of Development on Wetlands in
Arid and Semi-arid lands”, Department of Geography, London, UK,
Hydrological Sciences -Journal - des Sciences Bydrologiques, 35,4,8,
1990, pp.419-422.
[23] D. Walters & V. Koopman, "The Impacts of Agriculture on Wetlands- a
Brief Discussion”, p.2, Refer
to:http://www.sasa.org.za/Libraries/SA_Sugarcane_Inustry_Agronomist
s_Association/The_impact_of_agriculture_on_wetlands__a_brief_discus
sion_Damian_Wlters_Mondi_Wetlands_Project.sflb.ashx.
[24] A. L. Wright, "Environmental Consequences of Water Withdrawals and
Drainage of Wetlands”, Soil and Water Science, Institute of Food and
Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, SL 302, 2009, p.2.
[25] S. Hamilton, "Agricultural Pesticide Impacts on Prairie Wetlands”, Iowa
State University, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. March 1993, pp.3-
6.
[26] ], A. Shakeri & F. Moore, "The Impact of an Industrial Complex on
Freshly Deposited Sediments, Chener, Rahdar River Case Study, Shiraz,
Iran, Springer Science, Business Media B.V. Vol. 169, No.321, 2010,
pp.321 & 322.
[27] A. Kotios, et al, "The Impact of Tourism on Water Demand and
Wetlands: Searching for a Sustainable Coexistence”, Department of
Planning and Regional Development, School of Engineering, University
of Thessaly, Volos, Greece, January 2009, p8
[28] Sunlu, "Environmental Impacts of Tourism”, Camarda D. (Ed), Grassini
L. (Ed), Local resources and global trades: Environments and agriculture
in the Mediterranean region .Bari, CIHEAM, 2003, p.266.
[29] www.unep.org.
[30] G. W. Howard, "Invasive Species in Water-Dependent Ecosystems”,
World Fish Center, IUCN (The World Conservation Union), Eastern
Africa Regional Programme, Nairobi, Kenya, 2000, p.22.
[31] P. M. Vitousek, et al, "Introduced Species: A Significant Components of
Human Caused Global Change”, New Zealand Journal of Ecology, Vol.
21, No.1, 1997, p.1.
[32] Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, "Invasive Alien
Species” Living in Harmony with Nature, United Nations Decade on
Biodiversity 2010-2020, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 2009, p.1.
[33] National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration", Habitat Conservation and Restoration Center, What are
Aquatic Invasive Species?” Fact Sheet, 2011, Refer
to:http://www.habitat.noaa.gov/pdf/best_management_practices/fact_she
ets/Aquatic%20Invasive%20Species%20Overview.pdf
[34] Ramsar COP 8, Doc 11, "Climate Change and Wetlands: Impacts,
Adaptation and Mitigation”, Information Paper, 8th Meeting of the
Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Wetlands
(Ramsar, Iran, 1971)Valencia, Spain, 18-26 November 2002, pp. 10-14.
[35] Supra note 33, p.2.
[36] R. J. Nicholls, "Coastal Flooding and Wetland Loss in the 21st Century:
Changes under the SRES Climate and Socio-Economic Scenarios”,
Global Environmental Change, Elsevier, Vol.14, 2004, p.70.
[37] B. Blankespoor, et al, "Sea-Level Rise and Coastal Wetlands: Impacts
and Costs”, The World Bank, Development Research Group, Research
Support Team, November 2012, p.3.
[38] Article 2 (1) of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, Ramsar, Iran,
1971.
[39] Article 3 (2) of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, Ramsar, Iran, 1971
[40] Ramsar Convention Secretariat, "the Monteux Record and the Ramsar
Advisory Missions”, Ramsar Information Paper, No.6, Refer
to:www.ramsar.org/pdf/about/info2007-06-e.pdf .
[41] www.ramsar.org.
[42] Article 2 (3) of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, Ramsar, Iran,
1971.
[43] A. S. Timoshenko, "Protection of Wetlands by International Law” Pace
Environmental Law Review, Volume 5, Volume 5 Issue 2, Spring 1988,
p.466.
[44] Supra note 40.
[45] Art(s) 2 (5) & 4 (1), (2) of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands,
Ramsar, Iran, 1971.
[46] Recommendation 4.4,”Establishment of Natural Reserves”, 4th Meeting
of the Conference of the Contracting Parties Monteux, Switzerland 27
June-4 July 1990.
[47] Recommendation 5.3,” The Essential Character of Wetlands and the
Need for Zonation Related to Wetland Reserves”, 5th Meeting of the
Conference of the Contracting Parties Kushiro, Japan9-16 June 1993.
[48] Article 4 (3) of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, Ramsar, Iran, 1971
[49] Recommendation 1.2, "Developing Countries in the Convention”, the
1st Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties Cagliari, Italy
24-29 November 1980.
[50] Article 3 (1) of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, Ramsar, Iran,
1971.
[51] Recommendation 1.5,”National Wetland Inventories”, the 1st Meeting
of the Conference of the Contracting Parties Cagliari, Italy 24-29
November 1980.
[52] Recommendation 3.3,”Wise Use of Wetlands”, the 3rd Meeting of the
Conference of the Contracting Parties Regina, Canada 27 May - 5 June
1987.
[53] Resolution VIII.25,”The Ramsar Strategic Plan 2003-2008”, 8th
Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Convention
on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971) Valencia, Spain, 18-26 November
2002.
[54] Supra note 53, p.
[55] Resolution VI.19,”Education and Public Awareness”, 6th Meeting of the
Conference of the Contracting Parties Brisbane, Australia 19-27 March
1
[56] Ibid.
[57] http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsardocumentsplans/main/ramsar/1-31-
39_4000_0__.
[58] Resolution X.1,”The Ramsar Strategic Plan 2099-2015”, 10th Meeting
of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Wetlands,
Changwon, Republic of Korea, 28 October-4 November 2008.
[59] Ibid.
[60] Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, "Ecosystems and Well-being”,
Synthesis, World Resources Institute, Island Press, Washington, DC.
2005, p.50.
[61] Resolution XI.13, "An Integrated Framework for Linking Wetland
Conservation and Wise Use with Poverty Eradication”, 11th Meeting of
the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Wetlands, Bucharest,
Romania, 6-13 July 2012.
[62] Resolution X.28,”Wetlands and Poverty Eradication”, 10th Meeting of
the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Wetlands,
Changwon, Republic of Korea, 28 October-4 November 2008.