Governance tools for the conservation of wetlands: the role of the Montreux Record under the Ramsar Convention
Evan Hamman
A B , Tess Van Geelen A and Afshin Akhtar-Khavari A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Queensland University of Technology, School of Law, Level 7, C Block, 2 George Street, Brisbane, Qld 4000, Australia.
B Corresponding author. Email: e.hamman@qut.edu.au
Marine and Freshwater Research 70(11) 1493-1502 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF18483
Submitted: 17 December 2018 Accepted: 15 March 2019 Published: 5 June 2019
Abstract
The Ramsar Convention is the world’s most important international treaty governing wetland environments. Since the 1970s, the Convention has concerned itself with listing and protecting wetlands of international significance. However, in the past three decades, a focus has shifted from the identification of potential sites, towards addressing adverse changes in their ‘ecological character’. One of the few mechanisms Ramsar has at its disposal for achieving this is the Montreux Record (MR). The MR, first established in 1990, is a kind of ‘in danger’ list for Ramsar sites that have undergone, are undergoing, or are likely to undergo, adverse ecological change. Unlike other in-danger lists, such as, for example, under the World Heritage Convention, the MR is entirely voluntary and not deployed as a disciplinary measure or reputational sanction. The empirical research presented in this paper shows the declining use and importance of the MR. The paper provides an analysis of the composition and use of the MR from 1990 to 2018 and generates recommendations for how it might be used more effectively. The findings in this paper are significant, given the rapid declines of many Ramsar sites around the world.
Additional keywords: Article 3.2, ecological character, Ramsar Advisory Mission, Ramsar Convention.
References
Babbie, E. (2010). ‘The Practice of Social Research’, 12th edn. (Wadsworth: Belmont, CA, USA.)Battini, S. (2011). The procedural side of legal globalization: the case of the World Heritage Convention. International Journal of Constitutional Law 9, 340–368.
| The procedural side of legal globalization: the case of the World Heritage Convention.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bodansky, D. (2011). Implementation of International Environmental Law. Japanese Yearbook of International Law 54, 62–96.
Brians, C. L., Willnat, L., Manheim, J. B., and Rich, R. C. (2010). ‘Empirical Political Analysis’, 8th edn. (Routledge: Boston, MA, USA.)
Brown, N. E., Liuzza, C., and Meskell, L. (2019). The politics of peril: UNESCO’s list of World Heritage in danger. Journal of Field Archaeology xx, 1–17.
| The politics of peril: UNESCO’s list of World Heritage in danger.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Creswell, J. W. (2014). ‘A Concise Introduction to Mixed Methods Research.’ (SAGE Publications: Thousand Oaks, CA, USA.)
Davidson, N. C. (2014). How much wetland has the world lost? Long-term and recent trends in global wetland area. Marine and Freshwater Research 65, 934–941.
| How much wetland has the world lost? Long-term and recent trends in global wetland area.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (2012). ‘Notification of Change in Ecological Character.’ (Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities: Canberra, ACT, Australia.)
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (2009). ‘National Guidelines for Notifying Change in Ecological Character of Australian Ramsar Sites (Article 3.2).’ (Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts: Canberra, ACT, Australia.)
Ellison, J. (2009). Wetlands of the Pacific Island Region. Wetlands Ecology and Management 17, 169–206.
| Wetlands of the Pacific Island Region.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Everard, M., Harrington, R., and McInnes, R. J. (2012). Facilitating implementation of landscape-scale water management: the integrated constructed wetland concept. Ecosystem Services 2, 27–37.
| Facilitating implementation of landscape-scale water management: the integrated constructed wetland concept.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Finlayson, C. M. (2012). Forty years of wetland conservation and wise use. Aquatic Conservation 22, 139–143.
| Forty years of wetland conservation and wise use.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Finlayson, C. M., Davidson, N., Pritchard, D., Milton, G. R., and Mackay, H. (2011). The Ramsar Convention and ecosystem-based approaches to the wise use and sustainable development of wetlands. Journal of International Wildlife Law and Policy 14, 176–198.
Finlayson, C. M., Capon, S. J., Rissik, D., Pittock, J., Fisk, G., Davidson, N. C., Bodmin, K. A., Papas, P., Robertson, H. A., Schallenberg, M., Saintilan, N., Edyvane, K., and Bino, G. (2017). Policy considerations for managing wetlands under a changing climate. Marine and Freshwater Research 68, 1803–1815.
| Policy considerations for managing wetlands under a changing climate.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Gallo-Cajiao, E. (2014). Review of the international policy framework for conserving migratory shorebirds in the East Asian–Australasian Flyway. (East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership Secretariat: Incheon, South Korea.) Available at https://eaaflyway.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Review_International_Policy_Framework_EAAF.pdf [Verified 12 December 2018].
Gardner, R. C., and Connolly, K. D. (2007). The Ramsar Convention on wetlands: assessment of international designations within the United States. National Wetlands Newsletter 29, 6–15.
Garrett, P. (2009). Montreux Record and letter to Ramsar Secretariat. (Australian Government, Department of Environment and Energy.) Available at http://www.environment.gov.au/water/topics/wetlands/database/pubs/25-montreaux-record.rtf [Verified 10 December 2018].
Gell, P. A., Finlayson, C. M., and Davidson, N. C. (2016). Understanding change in the ecological character of Ramsar wetlands: perspectives from a deeper time: synthesis. Marine and Freshwater Research 67, 869–879.
| Understanding change in the ecological character of Ramsar wetlands: perspectives from a deeper time: synthesis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Gopal, B. (2013). Future of wetlands in tropical and subtropical Asia, especially in the face of climate change. Aquatic Sciences 75, 39–61.
| Future of wetlands in tropical and subtropical Asia, especially in the face of climate change.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Green, A. J., Alcorlo, P., Peeters, E., Morris, E., Espinar, J., Bravo-Utrera, M. A., Bustamente, J., Diaz-Delgado, R., Albert A Koelmans, A. A., Mateo, R., Mooij, W. M., Rodríguez-Rodríguez, M., van Nes, E., and Scheffer, M. (2017). Creating a safe operating space for wetlands in a changing climate. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 15, 99–107.
| Creating a safe operating space for wetlands in a changing climate.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hølleland, H., Hamman, E., and Phelps, J. (2019). Naming, shaming and fire alarms: the compilation, development and use of the list of World Heritage in danger. Transnational Environmental Law 8, 35–57.
| Naming, shaming and fire alarms: the compilation, development and use of the list of World Heritage in danger.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hunter, A. D., and Brewer, J. (2003). Multimethod research in sociology. In ‘Handbook of Mixed Methods in Social and Behavioral Research’. (Eds A. Tashakkori and C. Teddlie.) pp. 577–594. (SAGE Publications: Thousand Oaks, CA, USA.)
Joosten, H., Tapio-Biström, M., and Tol, S. (Eds) (2012). Peatlands – guidance for climate change mitigation through conservation, rehabilitation and sustainable use. (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and Wetlands International.) Available at http://www.fao.org/3/a-an762e.pdf [Verified 27 May 2019].
Kingsford, R. T., Walker, K. F., Lester, R. E., Young, W. J., Fairweather, P. G., Sammut, J., and Geddes, M. (2011). A Ramsar wetland in crisis: the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth, Australia. Marine and Freshwater Research 62, 255–265.
| A Ramsar wetland in crisis: the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth, Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Matthews, G. (1993). The Ramsar Convention on wetlands: its history and development. (Ramsar Convention Bureau.) Available at https://www.ramsar.org/sites/default/files/documents/pdf/lib/Matthews-history.pdf [Verified 14 March 2019].
McNabb, D. E. (2008). ‘Research Methods in Public Administration and Nonprofit Management: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches’, 2nd edn. (Routledge: Armonk, NY, USA.)
Moser, M. (2009). Report on Ramsar Advisory Mission number 60. Ramsar Convention Secretariat, Alagol, Ulmagol Ajigol, IR Iran.
Muijs, D. (2010). ‘Doing Quantitative Research in Education with SPSS’, 2nd edn. (SAGE Publications: London, UK.)
Murray, N. J., Clemens, R. S., Phinn, S. R., Possingham, H. P., and Fuller, R. A. (2014). Tracking the rapid loss of tidal wetlands in the Yellow Sea. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 12, 267–272.
| Tracking the rapid loss of tidal wetlands in the Yellow Sea.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Neuendorf, K. A. (2017). ‘The Content Analysis Guidebook’, 2nd edn. (SAGE Publications: Thousand Oaks, CA, USA.)
Pritchard, D. (2014). Change in ecological character of wetland sites: a review of Ramsar guidance and mechanisms. Available at www.ramsar.org/sites/default/files/documents/library/ecological_character_report_long_18112914_e.pdf [Verified 11 December 2018].
Ralph, T. J., Hesse, P. P., and Kobayashi, T. (2016). Wandering wetlands: spatial patterns of historical channel and floodplain change in the Ramsar-listed Macquarie Marshes, Australia. Marine and Freshwater Research 67, 782–802.
| Wandering wetlands: spatial patterns of historical channel and floodplain change in the Ramsar-listed Macquarie Marshes, Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ramsar Convention (1971). ‘Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar Convention)’, 2 February 1971, Ramsar, IR Iran. United Nations Treaty Series number 14583. As amended by the Paris Protocol, 3 December 1982, and Regina Amendments, 28 May 1987.
Ramsar Convention (1996). Working definitions of ecological character, guidelines for describing and maintaining the ecological character of listed sites, and guidelines for operation of the Montreux Record. Resolution VI.1. Available at https://www.ramsar.org/sites/default/files/documents/pdf/res/key_res_vi.01e.pdf [Verified 14 March 2019].
Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (2018). Global wetland outlook: state of the world’s wetlands and their services to people. Available at https://www.global-wetland-outlook.ramsar.org/ [Verified 10 December 2018].
Ramsar Convention Secretariat (1996). Guidelines for operation of the Montreux Record. In ‘Conference of the Parties (CoP) to the Ramsar Convention’, 19–27 March 1996, Brisbane, Qld, Australia. Adopted by the Conference of the Contracting Parties in Resolution VI.1. Available at http://ramsar.rgis.ch/cda/en/ramsar-documents-montreux-guidelines-for-operation-20983/main/ramsar/1-31-118%5E20983_4000_0__ [Verified 14 March 2019].
Ramsar Convention Secretariat (2012). Resolution XI.8 Annex 2. Strategic framework and guidelines for the future development of the List of Wetlands of International Importance of the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971) – 2012 revision. In ‘Wetlands: Home and Destination: 11th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands’, 6–13 July 2012, Bucharest, Romania. (The Ramsar Convention Secretariat.) Available at https://www.ramsar.org/sites/default/files/documents/library/cop11-res08-e-anx2.pdf [Verified 27 May 2019].
Ramsar Convention Secretariat (2015). Report of the Secretary General pursuant to Article 8.2 concerning the list of wetlands of international importance. (Ramsar Convention Secretariat: Punta Del Este, Uruguay.) Available at http://www.ramsar.org/sites/default/files/documents/library/cop12_doc07_article_8_2_report_e_0.pdf [Verified 10 December 2018].
Ramsar Convention Secretariat (2016). ‘The Fourth Ramsar Strategic Plan 2016–2024. Ramsar Handbooks for the Wise Use of Wetlands’, 5th edn, Vol 2. (Ramsar Convention Secretariat: Gland, Switzerland.)
Ramsar Convention Secretariat (2018a). Report of the Secretary General pursuant to Article 8.2 concerning the list of wetlands of international importance. (Ramsar Convention Secretariat: Dubai, United Arab Emirates.) Available at https://www.ramsar.org/sites/default/files/documents/library/cop13doc.12_sg_report_ramsar_list_e.pdf [Verified 14 December 2018].
Ramsar Convention Secretariat (2018b). The Montreux Record. Available at http://ramsar.rgis.ch/cda/en/ramsar-documents-montreux/main/ramsar/1-31-118_4000_0__ [Verified 10 December 2018].
Ramsar Convention Secretariat (2018c). Draft resolution on the status of Sites in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance. In ‘13th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, Wetlands for a Sustainable Urban Future’, 21–29 October 2018, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. COP13 DOC.18.10. Available at https://www.ramsar.org/sites/default/files/documents/library/cop13doc.18.10_dr_ramsar_list_e.pdf [Verified 27 May 2019].
Ramsar Secretariat (2018). National report on the implementation of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP 13). In ‘13th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, Wetlands for a Sustainable Urban Future’, 21–29 October 2018, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Available at https://www.ramsar.org/sites/default/files/documents/library/nrf_cop13_e.docx [Verified 14 March 2019].
Scientific and Technical Review Panel (2016). ‘Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP) Work Plan 2016–2018.’ (Ramsar Convention Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP): Gland, Switzerland.)
Scientific and Technical Review Panel (2018). STRP Task 4.2: comprehensive review and analysis of Ramsar Advisory Mission (RAM) reports. Final consultancy report (January 2018). Available at www.ramsar.org/sites/default/files/documents/library/review_analysis_ram_reports_e.pdf [Verified 12 December 2018].
Singh, K. (2007). ‘Quantitative Social Research Methods.’ (SAGE Publications: Los Angeles, CA, USA.)
Ward, E., and Gorelick, S. (2018). Drying drives decline in muskrat population in the Peace–Athabasca Delta, Canada Environmental Research Letters 13, 124 026.
| Drying drives decline in muskrat population in the Peace–Athabasca Delta, CanadaCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
