Ramsar Sites In India

What are Ramsar sites in India? Why wetlands are called ‘Ramsar sites’? What is the significance of being designated a Ramsar Site? Read further to know more.

A wetland is a place where the land is covered by water. Marshes, ponds, the edge of a lake/ocean, the delta at the mouth of a river, low-lying areas that frequently flood — all of these are wetlands.

Wetlands of international importance are also known as Ramsar sites.

Why wetlands are called ‘Ramsar sites’?

Ramsar is a city in Iran. In 1971, an international treaty for wetlands conservation and sustainable use was signed at Ramsar. The Convention’s mission is “the conservation and wise use of all wetlands through local and national actions and international cooperation, as a contribution towards achieving sustainable development throughout the world”.

More than 2300 wetlands of international importance!

• Today, the Ramsar List is the world’s largest network of protected areas.
• There are currently over 2,300 Ramsar Sites around the world. They cover over 2.5 million square kilometres, an area larger than Mexico.
• The world’s first Site was the Cobourg Peninsula in Australia, designated in 1974.
• The largest Sites are Ngiri-Tumba-Maindombe in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Queen Maud Gulf in Canada; these Sites each cover over 60,000 square kilometres.
• The countries with the most Sites are the United Kingdom with 175 and Mexico with 142.
• Bolivia has the most significant area with 148,000 km2 under Ramsar protection.

Significance of being designated a Ramsar Site

• These wetland areas are listed on the Convention’s List of Wetlands of International Importance as Ramsar sites once they have received the designation.
• When a wetland is designated as a Ramsar site, nations commit to establishing and maintaining a management framework for its preservation and responsible usage.
• The Convention defines smart to use as maintaining the ecological integrity of a wetland.
• The List of Wetlands of International Importance includes wetlands based on their ecological, botanical, zoological, limnological, or hydrological importance.

Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

The first contemporary international, intergovernmental environmental treaty is the Convention on Wetlands.

• The convention was negotiated throughout the 1960s by nations and non-governmental organisations who were worried about the growing destruction and loss of migratory waterbird habitats.
• Ramsar is a full partner in the “biodiversity-related cluster” of treaties and accords even though it is not a member of the Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) system of the United Nations.
• A Contracting Party must nominate at least one location for the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance when it joins the Convention (the “Ramsar List”).
• A site is given the distinction of international recognition when it is added to the Ramsar List, and the government expresses its commitment to take all necessary action to guarantee the ecological character of the site is protected.
• The Convention works together with a wide range of international partners to accomplish its objectives. Among them are important private enterprises, international and national non-governmental organisations, as well as global conventions and agencies.
• The first Site in the world was established in 1974 on the Cobourg Peninsula in Australia.
• The largest Sites, each comprising more than 60,000 square kilometres, are Rio Negro in Brazil (120,000 square kilometres), Ngiri-Tumba-Maindombe in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Queen Maud Gulf in Canada.
• The United Kingdom (175) and Mexico have the most Sites (142).
• With 148,000 square kilometres, Bolivia is the country with the most land declared for protection under the Convention; over 100,000 square kilometres each have been designated by Canada, Chad, Congo, and the Russian Federation.

Also read: Ramsar sites (Wetlands) in India: Memorize faster

Ramsar Convention: Structure

The structure of the Ramsar convention is as follows:

• Conference of the Parties Contracting: This body, which governs the convention, is composed of all the countries that have ratified the pact.
• This highest authority evaluates the convention’s development, sets new priorities, and assigns participants work schedules.
• In addition, the COP has the authority to amend the convention, create expert advisory bodies, review member-nation progress reports, and collaborate with other international organisations and agreements.
• The Standing Committee is the intercessional executive body that represents the COP in between its triennial meetings, as determined by the COP’s decisions.
• The contracting parties that make up the Standing Committee are chosen to serve three-year terms at each COP meeting.
• The Conference of Contracting Parties, the Standing Committee, and the Ramsar Secretariat receive recommendations from the Scientific and Technical Review Panel on scientific and technical issues (STRP).
• Secretary of State: The Secretariat oversees the daily coordination of the convention’s activities. Its base of operations is in Gland, Switzerland, which also serves as the IUCN’s global headquarters.
• With the assistance of the international organisation partners and on the recommendation of the subsidiary expert body, the Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP), the Conference of Contracting Parties, the Standing Committee, and the Secretariat continue to collaborate in order to implement the Ramsar Convention (IOPs).

Three pillars of the Ramsar Convention

Under the “three pillars” of the Convention, the Contracting Parties commit to:

1. Work towards the wise use of all their wetlands;
2. Designate suitable wetlands for the list of Wetlands of International Importance (the “Ramsar List”) and ensure their effective management;
3. Cooperate internationally on transboundary wetlands, shared wetland systems and shared species.

The Montreux Record

The Montreux Record is a register of wetland sites on the List of Wetlands of International Importance where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring, or are likely to occur as a result of technological developments, pollution or other human interference. It is maintained as part of the Ramsar List.

Ramsar Sites in India

India is one of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971. India signed it on 1^st Feb 1982. From 1982 to 2013, a total of 26 sites were added to the list of Ramsar sites, however, during 2014 to 2022, the country has added 49 new wetlands to the list of Ramsar sites.

In 2022, India added 11 more wetlands to the list of Ramsar sites to make the total number of Ramsar sites 75 covering an area of 13,26,677 ha. Tamil Nadu has the maximum no. of Ramsar sites (14 nos), followed by UP (10 nos).

In 2024, five more Indian wetlands have been added to the global list of wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, taking the total number of such highly recognized waterlogged ecosystems in the country to 80.

• The wetlands added are Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve, Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve, and Aghanashini Estuary from Karnataka; and Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary and Longwood Shola Reserve Forest from Tamil Nadu.

June 2024: India marked World Environment Day by designating Nagi Bird Sanctuary and Nakti Bird Sanctuary as its newest Wetlands of International Importance.

• These “Ramsar Sites” are both man-made reservoirs situated in the Jhajha forest range of Jamui District in Bihar, India.
• These additions take the total tally to 82 in India.

August 2024: India has added three more Ramsar sites to the network, taking the tally to 85.

• Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary and Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu and Tawa Reservoir of Madhya Pradesh have been added to India’s Ramsar sites list.

Ramsar sites (Wetlands) in India: State-wise compilation

Ramsar sites in India are listed below:

Interesting facts about Ramsar Convention/Sites

• The number of contracting parties is 171.
• At the time of joining the Convention, each Contracting Party undertakes to designate at least one wetland site for inclusion in the list of Wetlands of International Importance.
• The inclusion of a “Ramsar Site” in the List embodies the government’s commitment to take the steps necessary to ensure that its ecological character is maintained.
• Wetlands included in the List acquire a new national and international status: they are recognized as being of significant value not only for the country or the countries in which they are located but for humanity as a whole.
• There are nine criteria for identifying wetlands of international importance.
• There are six Ramsar regions.
• The 2nd of February each year is World Wetlands Day, marking the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971.
• The Ramsar Sites Information Service (RSIS) is a searchable database which provides information on each Ramsar Site.
• The Ramsar Convention works closely with six other organisations known as International Organization Partners (IOPs). These are:
  • Birdlife International.
  • International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
  • International Water Management Institute (IWMI).
  • Wetlands International.
  • WWF International.
  • Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT).

Conclusion

Wetlands are essential to human survival. They are among the planet’s most productive habitats, supplying the water and production necessary for the survival of many plant and animal species. Wetlands are crucial for humanity’s many advantages, or “ecosystem services,” which vary from flood management, groundwater recharge, and climate change mitigation to freshwater supply, food and building materials, and biodiversity.

Article Written By: Atheena Fathima Riyas