1. The role of the Ramsar Convention in biodiversity conservation
Solongo Khurelbaatar
Assistant Advisor for Asia-Oceania
Secretariat, Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

2. Our Wetlands Rivers and lakes Coastal areas Mangroves and coral reefs
The Convention uses a broad definition of the types of wetlands covered in its mission, including lakes and rivers, swamps and marshes, wet grasslands and peatlands, oases, estuaries, deltas and tidal flats, near-shore marine areas, mangroves and coral reefs, and human-made sites such as fish ponds, rice paddies, reservoirs, and salt pans.
Rivers and lakes
Coastal areas
Mangroves
and coral reefs
Peatlands
Human-made
fish ponds

3. Wetlands provide us with essential goods, services and benefits
Transport
Food
Fishing
Education
Culture

4. Wetlands provide us with essential goods, services and benefits
Flood control
Coastal
protection
Carbon sink
Biodiversity
Sustainable
livelihoods

5. The Context: Sustainable Development
Wetlands provide multiple ecosystem services that underpin our future development
The world prepares the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
In the current draft SDGs, wetlands are implicitly or explicitly mentioned under 7 Goals and 27 Targets

6. The bad news: Wetlands are in bad shape
64% of the world’s wetlands have disappeared since 1900
76% loss in freshwater wetland species populations over last 40 years against average 50% loss in all ecosystems (WWF Living Planet report 2014)
World population growth is driving an increasing demand on water
Wetlands are rarely prioritized
There is not enough public knowledge of the benefits and services that wetlands bring

7. And it is actually worsening: Wetlands Extent Index 1970-2008
Loss of freshwater wetlands worldwide from valued at US$ 2.7 trillion per year
40% of wetlands lost in the past 40 years

8. Vision for the Ramsar Strategic Plan (2016-2024)
“Wetlands are conserved, used wisely, restored and their benefits are recognized and valued by all”

9. Goals of the Ramsar Strategic Plan (2016-2024)
Addressing the drivers of wetland loss and degradation
Effectively conserving and managing the network of Ramsar Sites
Wisely using all wetlands
Raised awareness and involvement in wetlands

10. Ramsar Sites: A key commitment of Ramsar Contracting Parties is to identify and place priority wetlands onto the List of Wetlands of International Importance.

11. Ramsar Sites are a network of habitats for threatened species
Nine criteria out of which eight are related to biodiversity:
Criterion 2: Support threatened species – 1619 Sites
Criterion 3: Contribute to biodiversity in the given biogeographic region – 1354 Sites
Criterion 4: Support during critical life cycle stage or in adverse conditions – 1228 Sites
Criterion 5: Regularly support >20,000 waterbirds – 682 Sites
Criterion 6: Regularly support >1% waterbird population – 787 Sites
Criterion 7: Support significant and representative fish species – 392 Sites
Criterion 8: Fish spawning grounds, etc. – 542 Sites
Criterion 9: Support >1% of non-avian, wetland-dependent population – 35 Sites
Ramsar Sites are designated according to nine criteria – eight of these are biodiversity criteria, emphasizing the importance the Convention places on sustainining biodiversity by placing and restoring wetlands.

12. Ramsar Sites in Central Asia and their role in biodiversity conservation
Turkmenbashy Bay, in Turkmenistan – accession site, designated in 2008.

13. 21 Ramsar Sites in Central Asia

14. Examples: White-headed duck (Oxyura leucocephala): Endangered
Only Central Asian Ramsar Sites are illustrated; more Ramsar Sites that support white-headed duck are in the east Mediterrenean, and Middle East.
For info: Behaviour: The Central and east Asian populations of this species are migratory while the populations in Spain and North Africa are non-migratory (Kear 2005). A larger population breeds primarily in Russia and Kazakhstan, and also Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan (likely small and declining), Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Armenia, and Mongolia (believed to be increasing in this latter. Its status in China is unclear, but it appears to be rare. It occurs on passage/in winter in the eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East, and central and south Asia.
One of the threats - Climate change is thought to be causing more frequent droughts and drying out of many lakes in central Asia which may be a great threat to the survival of the species. Droughts in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan may have caused poor breeding seasons in 2002 and 2003 (Li and Mundkur 1993, B. Hughes in litt. 1999). Approximately 50% of breeding habitat has been drained during the 20th century. Remaining sites are vulnerable to drainage, filling, pollution and disturbance. Water abstraction for agriculture and other uses has affected water levels in many important sites throughout the range. 
The species is hunted illegally in most of the range states but this has not been quantified, apart from in Turkey. Hunting and egg collection are the most likely reason for extinction in some countries (Hughes et al. 2006).

15. Examples: Caspian seal (Pusa caspica): Endangered
Caspian seals are confined to the Caspian Sea. They range throughout the sea with seasonal migration between the southern, middle and northern basins. Almost all breeding takes place on ice, which covers the shallow northern parts of the Caspian Sea in winter. Occasional observations of low numbers (tens) have been made at islets off Turkmenistan.
Threat: Commercial harvest

16. Making the best out of the network of Ramsar Sites?
Include more wetlands to the Ramsar List Ensure that designation translates into conservation and wise use Raise awareness about the importance of wetlands, and vital ecosystem services and other benefits they provide Countries take the lead in managing the Ramsar Sites in nationally appropriate ways
Very appreciative of the governments efforts to identify critical wetlands and include them in the Ramsar List. Look forward to working with the Central Asian governments on designating more sites. However, designation doesn’t always translate to conservation and wise use: Some of the Contracting Parties forget that designation is the first step in their long-term commitment to conserve and wisely use the wetland and don’t do any follow-up. Ideally, a Ramsar Site would have a site-specific management plan, a restoration plan if needed, education/awareness raising programme. However, it varies from country to country, from site to site; the Secretariat is always happy to provide technical support, share from best practices and lessons learnt from other countries, other sites. But the governments need to take the lead and own the process. Ideally, a Contracting Party would have a national plan to implement the Ramsar Convention (mention workshops in Thailand and South Korea). Varies from country to country, site to site.
Competing priorities, lack of awareness of the importance of wetlands and the benefits and services they provide at all levels incl. policy makers, general public. The Convention is moving towards unlocking, promoting and protecting ecosystem services wetlands provide: a Resolution on DRR, water for environment, peatland etc. First time, countries own the resolutions.
Countries take the lead in managing the Ramsar Sites. Each country has its own priorities and ways of managing natural resources, making best of Ramsar label. One of the problems, for example, is Ramsar Sites VERSUS nationally protected areas that would have varying degrees of legal protection. How Ramsar Sites fit into nationally protected areas: Ramsar Sites are not necessarily legally protected (again, varies from country to country; from site to site) – Mongolia, Kazakhstan (double check). If not legally protected: difficulties with fighting off encroachers, lack of funds from government because funds would go to legally protected areas. Nationally appropriate ways: Kazakshtan putting the Ramsar Sites on the list of nationally protected areas to ensure that the sites have continuous budget and resources allocated from the state.

17. Making the best out of the network of Ramsar Sites?
Challenges:
Lack of data
No update
Budget restrictions
Communication issues
Tools:
Technical advice and support, e.g. publications
Ramsar Information Sheet
Updates every 6 years
Ramsar Advisory Missions
Article 3.2 cases, Monteux Record
The Convention has tools to assess changes in ecological character and threats, provide technical support (RIS updates, RAMs, Article 3.2, Montreux record, publications) The effectiveness of these tools can be undermined by lack of data (Tajikistan), delay with updates (out-of-date RISs), communication issues (language etc).

18. Making the best out of the network of Ramsar Sites?
Promotion of Partnership and Transboundary Cooperation: Regional Initiatives (species – EAAFP; geographical - MedWet) Ramsar Regional Initiative for Central Asia: The aim of the Ramsar Regional Initiative for Central Asia will be to support the effective implementation of the Ramsar Convention in Central Asia by promoting and strengthening cooperation between the five regional countries, i.e. Kazakhstan. Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan
A brief summary about the plans for the RRI-CA.
Possible activities – wetland directives; wetland observatory; awareness raising

19. Questions?

20. Thank you!