Wetlands inventory, monitoring and assessment constitute essential instruments for Ramsar Contracting Parties (CP) in ensuring the wise use of all their wetlands and an effective conservation and management of wetland sites of international importance. However, information on wetland extent, wetland types, ecosystem services and benefits are often scattered, hard to find, and for various reasons difficult to integrate into decision making. National wetlands inventories provide the core information for CP’s assessment and monitoring activities to put in place efficient wetland protection and management policies. Up to date information on wetland status and threats helps CP to decide and prioritize interventions for wetland conservation and restoration. They also allow establishing baselines against which to assess effectiveness of regulatory mechanisms.
GEO-Wetlands side event at Ramsar COP14
