The Ramsar CoCo-GAP

November 5-6, 2003 Wageningen, Netherlands

The Ramsar Coordinating Committee for Global Action on Peatlands (CoCo-GAP) held its start up meeting in Wageningen, the Netherlands, on 5 and 6 November 2003 with financial support of the Global Peatlands Initiative.

Participants: Tobias Salathe, Vincent van den Berk, Zhang Xiaohong, Randy Milton, Olga Belyakova, Tatiana Minaeva, Jan Sliva, Hans Joosten, Jack Rieley, Bambang Setiadi, Herbert Diemont, Piet-Louis Grundling, Robert Hofstede, Faizal Parish, Chee Tong Yiew, Marcel Silvius, Chris Baker, Alexander Kozulin, and Henk Ritzema. Apologies received from: Ton van der Zon, Henk Eggink, David Stroud, Francisco Rilla Manta, Eckhardt Kuijken, Gerry Hood, Willem Ferwerda, David Pritchard, Jamie Pittock, Abdullah Keizrul, Stuart Brooks, David Coates, and Rocio Lichte.

The meeting was chaired by Tobias Salathé, focal point for peatland issues in the Ramsar Bureau. He recalled the history leading to the establishment of the CoCo-GAP, requested by Resolution VIII.17 adopted at Ramsar COP8 (Spain, November 2002).

The task of the CoCo-GAP is to promote, monitor, and review the implementation of the Guidelines for Global Action on Peatlands (GGAP). The CoCo-GAP reports to COP9 and recommends to COP9 priorities for the 2006-2008 triennium.

It operates independently from but via personal and operational links in close coordination with the Ramsar Bureau and the Ramsar Scientific and Technical Review Panel.

The initial meeting served

i)        to establish an overview/analysis of ongoing peatland activities and programmes,

ii)       to identify relevant gaps,

iii)     to prepare an implementation plan for Global Action on Peatlands, and

iv)     to adopt a plan of work, monitoring and reporting to COP9.

The meeting decided on the way the CoCo-GAP will operate during the triennium, and on the possible co-option of additional members. Work of the CoCo-GAP will be carried out via e-mail and with the help of the STRP Support Service.

The CoCo-GAP started with an analysis and overview of ongoing peatland activities and programmes in comparison with the seven priority approaches outlined in the Ramsar GGAP (see http://ramsar.org/key_res_viii_17_e.htm).

Input from Ramsar Contracting Parties (and additional parties, e.g. IMCG members!) will be sought in the near future to complement this inventory, especially with respect to

-   The status of national peatland inventories, including trend analyses (where possible),

-   Lists of ongoing programmes and projects related to communication, education, training and awareness (CEPA), nomination of national peatland CEPA focal points (where possible),

-   National Strategies and Action Plans related to peatlands, or as part of wetland strategies or biodiversity strategies,

-   Best management practices demonstration projects,

-   Centres of expertise, training facilities, and involvement of national institutions in international and/or transboundary regional networks,

-   The incorporation of peatland issues in CBD and UNFCCC work programmes and related activities,

-   Availability of funding mechanisms to support wise use projects for peatlands and operating costs of the CoCo-GAP (next meeting(s)),

-   Their interest to be kept informed (and how) or to become more involved.

Depending on progress, during its second meeting the CoCo-GAP will probably divide its tasks among its members, to cover specific regions or themes in more depth. When National Reports for Ramsar COP9 will be submitted to the Ramsar Bureau, CoCo-GAP will have rapid access to their chapters related to peatlands.

The CoCo-GAP decided to hold a second meeting earlier than originally foreseen in order to assure that its work progresses according to plan. The meeting will take place on 6 June 2004, back-to-back with the 12th International Peat Congress to be held 6-11 June 2004 in Tampere, Finland. The main agenda points for the 2nd meeting will include the drafting of a resolution text (as a follow-up to Resolution VIII.17) and its report to COP9 with recommendations for the triennium 2005-2008. A possible third CoCo-GAP meeting could be held prior to COP9 in Uganda. Also, it was noted that a side event during COP9 could be envisaged.

(based on the draft minutes made by Marcel Silvius).