An NGO Opening Statement, coordinated by the World Wetland Network is to be presented to the 12th Ramsar Conference of the Parties by Virginia Juele, Aguará Pope today (Wednesday 3 June).
The World Wetland Network will offer the following recommendations for Ramsar consideration:
a) Recognize that NGOs often create a longer-term and more continuous link for Ramsar sites than Government Representatives.
b) Develop more structured guidance for Ramsar Parties, and National Focal Points, on how to engage civil society.
c) Explore options to include more NGOs and civil society organisations in the decision-making process for Ramsar at international, regional and country levels.
d) Create avenues for NGO and civil society input into reporting on the state of all wetlands, Ramsar site nominations and the Montreux Record.
e) Prioritize funding and support for NGOs and civil society organisations that are working on Ramsar listed wetlands.
Full and effective collaboration between civil society and contracting parties is critical to achieve wetland conservation at the local level. With regard to the draft resolutions for Ramsar COP 12, NGOs are calling for stronger linkages to the NGO and civil society sector in DR2 – the Strategic Plan and DR 9, the CEPA program.
Please read and share the statements with your networks:
