One of the biggest challenges in achieving a more sustainable, efficient use of wetland areas and their resources is the lack of good governmental policies. Under the Wetlands and Poverty Reduction Project there is a range of activities to influence international conventions. 

On the global level we try to influence conventions that are of major importance to wetlands, like the Ramsar convention, the Convention on Bio Diversity (CBD), the World Water Forum and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UN-FCCC).

Our successes

One of our great successes is that in 2005, largely due to our information, the Ramsar convention adopted a resolution on wetlands and poverty reduction for the very first time.

At the UN Climate Summit in 2006 in Nairobi (UN-FCCC COP 12 ) and in 2007 in Paris (SBSTA meeting) and in Bali (UN-FCCC COP 13) we succeeded to explain to many delegates the link between climate change and wetland loss (primarily peat lands) and ultimately poverty. We even succeeded with partners to improve policies like the Bali Road Map and the UN Decision on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation in Developed Countries.

Click here for more information on our views and activities at the UN-FCCC summits.