by Tatiana Minayeva
One of the democratic instruments of Ramsar are the Ramsar Regional meetings. Ramsar has divided the World into five regions: the Americas, Asia, Europe (including the Asian part of the Russian Federation), Oceania, and Australia. The contracting parties (CPs) of these Ramsar regions meet in the year before the CoP to coordinate their positions and to formulate specific regional problems. Three regional meetings have taken place till now: the European in Armenia (December 2004), the African in Tanzania (April 2005), and the Asian in China (May 2005). Peatland items were raised in the European and Asian meetings. Unfortunately we have not heard that IMCG members have attended the African meeting.
During the European meeting there were several presentations on peatlands: peatlands restoration by Kozulin, peatlands in Scandinavia by Larsson, and peatlands and Ramsar in Europe by Minayeva. The outcome of the European meeting was reported, but no formal decisions were taken.
During the Asian Regional meeting in Beijing, peatlands were the subject of a separate working group. The working group was attended by 25 representatives from nine countries (Brunei, China, Indonesia, Kazakstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Malaysia, Mongolia, Republic of Korea, Russia), four international organisations (IMCG, Global Environment Centre, IUCN, Wetlands International), and the Ramsar Secretariat. The meeting was chaired by Tatiana Minaeva, peatland representative on the STRP. Rapporteur was Faizal Parish of the Global Environment Centre.
In her presentation “Guidance for Global Actions on Peatlands”, Tatiana Minayeva informed on peatlands in relation to the Ramsar Convention and on the guidelines for Global Action on Peatlands. The work of the Coordinating Committee for GAP and the priority issues that CCGAP had identified were discussed.
Chen Kelin (Wetlands International China) gave a presentation on the “Peatlands of North-East Asia”. He discussed the characteristics of the peatlands and highlighted specific peatlands in selected countries of that region. Drainage, degradation, and overgrazing were identified as common key issues. The Lanzhou Statement from the International workshop on peatlands in July 2004 was distributed.
Faizal Parish and Adelina Kamal (ASEAN Peatland Management Initiative) gave a talk about the “Tropical peatlands in SE Asia” in which key issues and the development of the ASEAN Peatland Management Initiative and associated Strategy were presented.
Ms Cui (Chinese Academy of Forestry representative on the STRP) informed that China is establishing a network of wetland monitoring stations that will be important in assessing the condition and trends of peatlands in the country. The Chinese government is increasingly aware of the importance of peatlands and hopes to develop further measures to build on Ramsar Resolution VIII.17.
Mr Park (Ministry of the Environment, Republic of Korea) reported on the monitoring of mountainous peatlands since 2002 and on the designation of peatland Ramsar sites in these areas. Jangdo island bog, on an isolated island 104 km from the Korean peninsula, was designated in March 2005. The peatland plays a key role in storing freshwater and is important for biodiversity as well as for supplying water to the people on the island
The working group supported in general the priority issues identified by the CC GAP, but noted that some fine-tuning of the wording and further consultation on the national level is necessary when the revised texts are provided by the Ramsar secretariat. Given the importance of peatlands, the recommendations on peatlands should be highlighted appropriately in the special draft resolutions (DR1 or DR2) or as a separate statement.
A comment was made that appropriate institutional and financial mechanisms are needed to support the implementation of peatland activities including a partnership between relevant stakeholders building on the achievements of the CC GAP and linking to sub-regional mechanisms in different regions.
Other issues of importance to the region for inclusion in the Ramsar decision include:
- The need for specific action towards UNFCCC as peatlands constitute one of the world’s major carbon stocks
- Strengthening of regional and international cooperation with respect to peatlands
- Peatland research and monitoring
- The role of peatland in mesoclimate regulation
- Rehabilitation of degraded or abandoned peatlands
- Additional guidance needed on peatland management
- Poverty reduction for local communities in peatland areas (with support from international donors)
- The problems of the high altitude peatlands
A sub-group should be convened to propose specific wording.
Sub-regional activities
The group noted that the peatlands in Southeast Asia cover 30 million ha, representing more than 60% of the world’s tropical peatlands and that they are very important for biodiversity conservation, carbon storage, water regulation, and support for local livelihoods.
The meeting applauded the work of the 10 ASEAN countries to develop the ASEAN Peatland Management Initiative and the associated ASEAN Peatland Management Strategy and recommended this be recognized appropriately as a model mechanism to implement the Ramsar Convention in the region.
The group also recognized the importance of peatlands in Northeast Asia and emphasized some of the priorities identified in the Langzhou statement. The group supported the establishment of a NE Asia peat (information exchange) network and welcomed the offer of Wetlands International China, IMCG, and others to develop this network through their ongoing collaborative programme. It was noted that Russia has very important peatlands in Asia and has a strong interest in networking and exchange in the region. This should not be constrained by the (artificial) Ramsar region arrangements. The group encouraged further work between the countries of the NE Asian region to share experience and best practice and establish an appropriate framework for formal cooperation on peatland management.
Also peatlands in the arid/semi arid subregions of central and western Asia may benefit from regional exchange of expertise and information.
The issue of peatland management should be included more clearly in the following existing and proposed subregional Initiatives:
- The Himalayan Initiative
- The Mekong region
- The Amur Region
Especially stronger connections should be made of peatlands with climate change adaptation and mitigation initiatives and plans.
The meeting identified the following additional priorities:
- Developing multiple sustainable use options in an integrated manner
- Empowering local communities to play an important role in the protection and sustainable use of peatlands
- Improving the protection of peatland biodiversity
- Strengthening peatland inventory, assessment, monitoring, and research
- Developing rapid assessment methods for peatlands
- Improving guidance for peatland management and restoration
- Integrating peatland management both for biodiversity and climate change values
Appropriate wording should be developed by a drafting group.
Peatlands and other COP9 resolutions
The group appealed to the CC GGAP and Ramsar Secretariat to integrate peatlands issues in relevant COP9 Resolutions, based on the following Recommendations on Peatlands from the Asian Ramsar Meeting:
1. Recognize the importance of peatlands in the Asian Region for biodiversity conservation, water regulation and climate balance and urge CPs in the region to strengthen the action for improving the protection including designation of more protected areas and Ramsar sites and stopping unsustainable harvesting and development practices.
2. Recognize the lack of information on extent, status and values of peatlands, intensify efforts for assessment, inventory and monitoring activities.
3. Acknowledge that many peatlands in Asia have been degraded by inappropriate and unsustainable management activities often without recognizing their unique wetland character and functions, urge that peatlands are managed and restored according to their ecological and hydrological character in harmony with local knowledge and systems; develop practical guidance on sustainable peatland management and rehabilitation as well as establish demonstration and pilot sites.
4. Recognize that many local people in Asia depend on goods ad services from peatlands and that peatland degradation reduces livelihood options and contributes to poverty while at the same time local communities are often not involved in the management of peatlands. Therefore peatland management in Asia should be undertaken wherever possible in conjunction with local communities and other stakeholders and should seek to optimise the benefits to such communities from sustainable peatland management.
5. Agree on the important need to strengthen cooperation and exchange of experience on peatland management and use in Asia. Because of the similarity in management issues in different subregions, propose a subregional approach for regional cooperation as follows:
a) Welcome the establishment of the ASEAN Peatland Management Initiative, encourage parties and international organizations to support its implementation and commend it as a model to other sub-regions and elsewhere.
b) Support the immediate establishment of a NEAsian Peatland Network as recommended by the Langzhou Workshop and encourage active participation in such a network as a first step towards more formal cooperation among countries in the region.
c) Encourage further discussions on the establishment of a regional exchange mechanism related to the mountain peatlands of Central Asia, which are facing similar management problems.
6. Peatland issues should be incorporated in and highlighted by other regional wetland initiatives such as the Himalayan wetlands, the Amur basin management, and the Mekong Basin wetlands initiatives.
7. The recommendations from CCGAP to the COP should be further strengthened and incorporate issues from the Asian perspective.