Access information on Multilateral Environmental Agreements

The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, called the Ramsar Convention, is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. 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”. Under the “three pillars” of the Convention, the Contracting Parties commit to work towards the wise use of all their wetlands; designate suitable wetlands for the list of Wetlands of International Importance (the “Ramsar List”) and ensure their effective management; cooperate internationally on transboundary wetlands, shared wetland systems and shared species.The Secretariat, which carries out the day-to-day coordination of the Convention’s activities is based at the headquarters of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Gland, Switzerland.