• Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav is leading the Indian delegation at the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP15) to the Ramsar Convention being held at Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe from July 23 to 31.

• Addressing the high-level segment of COP15, Yadav said wetlands form an essential part of India’s environmental strategy.

• India currently has 91 Ramsar sites (1.36 million ha) — the highest in Asia and the third highest globally — and has significantly expanded its network in recent years.

• Inviting global cooperation, the minister urged all countries to support India’s resolution on promoting sustainable lifestyles for the wise use of wetlands.

• India launched the ‘Save Wetland Campaign’ which has resulted in voluntary participation of more than two million people in conservation efforts.

What is the Ramsar Convention?

• The Ramsar List is the world’s largest network of protected areas. There are over 2,500 Ramsar Sites, covering more than 2.5 million square kilometres.

• The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty signed by 172 countries to protect wetlands. 

• It is named after the city in Iran where it was signed, and it began with 18 countries in 1971.

• The convention is one of the oldest inter-governmental accords for preserving the ecological character of wetlands. Also known as the Convention on Wetlands, it aims to develop a global network of wetlands for the conservation of biological diversity and for sustaining human life.

• It is one of the largest international agreements, after the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD, 196 countries) and the UN climate agreement (UNFCCC, 197 countries).

• India ratified the convention on February 1, 1982.

• The first Site was the Cobourg Peninsula in Australia, designated in 1974. The largest Sites are Rio Negro in Brazil (120,000 sq km), and Ngiri-Tumba-Maindombe in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Queen Maud Gulf in Canada. These Sites each cover over 60,000 sq km.

• The countries with the most Sites are the United Kingdom with 176 and Mexico with 144. Brazil has the largest area with 267,000 square km under the Convention protection; Bolivia, Canada, Chad, Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Russian Federation have also each designated over 100,000 square km.

• Saudi Arabia deposited its instrument of accession to the Convention with the Director-General of UNESCO. The Convention will enter into force for the country on August 2, 2025, making it the treaty’s 173rd Contracting Party dedicated to the conservation and wise use of wetlands.

COP15

• Every three years, Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands meet at the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP) to agree on the programming for the next triennium and consider guidance on a range of ongoing and emerging issues on management of wetlands.

• COP15 is being held at Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe from July 23 to 31.

• Victoria Falls is a small town in the Province of Matabeleland North, in Zimbabwe. The town lies on the southern bank of the Zambezi River, at the western end of the famous waterfall bearing the same name.

• As many as 172 Contracting Parties are attending the COP15 to strengthen international commitments for wetland conservation. 

• The theme of COP15 is “Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future”, which emphasizes the important role wetlands play in sustaining ecological health, biodiversity, and climate resilience. 

• It emphasizes the critical role that wetlands play in ensuring ecological balance, supporting biodiversity, climate resilience and providing essential resources for human livelihood.

• COP15 will facilitate crucial discussions on the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands, serving as a global platform for advancing wetland conservation, fostering international collaboration, and promoting sustainable practices that protect these vital ecosystems and their benefits.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)