Implementation of Global Action Plan for Peatlands and Ramsar CC GAP future

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Implementation of Global Action Plan for
Peatlands and Ramsar CC GAP future

• Wise Use of Peatlands
• Schiphol 13-15 February, 2009

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Peatlands in Ramsar Convention
CPs recognised peatlands as one of the most
important wetlands by recommendations and
resolutions COP 6 (1996) Recommendation
VI.1 - encouraging further cooperation on wise
use, sustainable development, and conservation of
global peatlands COP 7 (1999)
Recommendation VII.1 - on the wise use of
peatlands with an annexed draft global action
plan for the wise use and management of
peatlands COP 8 (2002) Resolution VIII.3
Climate Change and Wetlands Impacts Adaptation
and Mitigation - calls for managing wetlands
adaptively in response to the impacts of global
climate change recognises peatlands role in
mitigating impacts of climate change Resolution
VIII.11 Additional guidance for identifying and
designating under-represented wetland types as
Wetlands of International Importance addresses
peatlands as underrepresented wetland
type Resolution VIII.17 adopts guidelines for
global action on peatlands, calls to establish
coordinating committee fro global peatlands
action plan implementation (CC GAP)
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Guidelines for Global Action on Peatlands (GGAP)

• Resolution VIII.17
• Ramsar Guidelines for Global Action on Peatlands
  (GGAP) - the Framework for action on global,
  regional and national level,
• addressing needs in global coordination of
  actions within following priorities
• A. Knowledge of global resources
• B. Education and public awareness on peatlands
• C. Policy and legislative instruments
• D. Wise use of peatlands
• E. Research networks, regional centres of
  expertise, and institutional capacity
• International cooperation
• Implementation and support
• Guidelines defines main threats, problems,
  emerging issues and priorities for actions in
  peatland conservation provide the approach and
  methodology.
• More about Ramsar and Peatlands on
• http//www.ramsar.org/types_peatlands.htm

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Peatlands in Ramsar Convention
To meet CPs demand, peatlands issues have been
integrated into Ramsar Convention tools and
instruments New Guidelines for management
planning for Ramsar sites and other wetlands
(adopted 2002) with specific reference to
peatlands Criteria for Identifying Wetlands of
International Importance (adopted in 2005)
peatlands as underrepresented wetlands
type Strategic plan for 2002-2008 - cover
mechanisms for the delivery of all three pillars
of the Convention (Strategic Plan General
Objectives 1-3) in peatland wise use and
conservation National report format triennium
2002-2005 included the special division on
peatlands - point 3.2 on GAP implementation Nation
al report format triennium 2005-2008 included
indicator question Has national action been
taken to implement the Guidelines to Global
Action on Peatlands (Res. VIII.17)? CC GAP
mechanism partnership for peatlands
conservation and wise use
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Peatlands information for Ramsar Convention
To meet CPs demands CC GAP and involved
organisations have developed several helpful
documents addressed countries and global
implementing agencies Wise use of mires and
peatlands (2002) provides framework and
background information on peatlands for decision
makers Peatlands Wise Use Statement (2002)
provides short overview of wise use principles
related to peatlands in all convention languages
and additionally in Finnish and
Russian Brochure Peatlands Do You Care
(2005) Explaining peatlands functions and values
and refreshing emerging issues on
peatlands Global Assessment on Peatlands,
Biodiversity and Climate change (2007) Review of
the latest scientific information with key
finding as background for decision making,
endorsed by CBD SBSTTA 2006 IPCC Guidelines for
National Green House Gas Inventories Chapter 7
Wetlands, focus on peatlands under extraction
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Do countries know that they have peatlands?

• In 2008 NRs only 20 countries remained declaring
  this
• Europe 3
• Africa 10 (incl. Madagascar, Nigeria, Zambia)
• Americas - 5
• Asia 2 (incl Srilanka

• 32 countries point peatlands as not applicable
  item in their 2005 NRs
• Europe - 5 (Incl. Greenland!)
• Africa 10 (incl. Botswana!)
• Americas 7 (incl. USA!)
• Asia 4 (incl. Iran and Kyrgyzstan)

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Here the Ramsar convention was signed in 1971
Why we still need CC GAP in Ramsar?
This is peat
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No knowledge on peatlands diversity
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Countries with peat (Global peatland database,
IMCG, 2008)
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How countries implement GAPNational Report 2008
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Emerging issues for peatlands as identified by CC
GAP

• To COP 9
• Climate change
• Biodiversity
• Water management
• Poverty
• Wise use
• Additional to COP10
• Land degradation
• Global energetic strategy and wetlands
• Development projects

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COP10 issues for peatlands to be addressed

• Draft Resolutions of COP 10 where peatlands
  should be addressed (IOPs and countries!)
• The Ramsar Strategic Plan 2009-2014
• The Convention's Programme on communication,
  education, participation, and awareness (CEPA)
  2009-2014
• Partnerships and synergies with Multilateral
  Environmental Agreements and other institutions
• Resolution on wetlands and extractive industries
• Wetlands and human health
• Wetlands and poverty reduction
• Climate change and wetlands
• Wetlands and 'biofuels'

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What are principles of CC GAP

• Partnership of NGOs, governments, professional
  organizations
• Eligibility under Ramsar Convention mandate
  form CPs to coordinate Global Actions for
  Peatlands implementation
• Cooperation with convention bdies (STRP, SC,
  Secretariat)
• Direct work with countries
• Direct work with other conventions
• Involvement of wide expertise

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Advantages of partnership approach

• involvement of wide range of experts with
  different views guarantee full list of items on
  agenda
• Balanced interests of various stakeholders
  represented in the international conventions and
  processes
• benefit from cooperation on all levels from local
  to the international
• the resources of organisations effectively used
  by sharing and temporary replacement
• the free exchange of information - opportunity
  for improvement of background knowledge for
  decision making..

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What are future tasks for CC GAP

• Global assessments of peatlands as technical
  report to each next COP
• Emerging issues raise to be addressed by Ramsar
  convention
• To cooperate and address other conventions
• Provide technical papers to address and explain
  emerging issues, background information for
  decision
• Contribute guidelines for peatland management
  (wise use and conservation)
• Assist implementation of GAP on national level

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What are operational principles for CC GAP

• Comprehensive representation
• Rotated chairmanship
• Secretariat (volunteering currently by WI)
• Integration/coordination with STRP
• Technical reports to SC and COPs
• Regular and open information exchange (STRP
  support service)
• Networking

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• Thank you for your attention
• and cooperation