ENB @ Ramsar COP-8; Valencia, Spain; 18-26 November 2002

18-26 Nov. 2002

The Eighth Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands


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SUMMARY
Mon 25
Sat 23
Fri 22
Thu 21
Wed 20
Tue 19
Mon 18
Sun 17

Europe: Peter Shei, Norway

WEDNESDAY, 20 NOVEMBER 2002

Delegates held regional meetings in the morning to consider Convention implementation, resolutions before the COP, and the upcoming COP8 Technical Sessions. In the afternoon, the Technical Sessions began with presentations and discussions on challenges and opportunities for wetlands, water and sustainability. Committees on Finance, Credentials, and the Strategic Plan and Work Plan continued their deliberations, and contact groups met to discuss agriculture, high Andean wetlands, mangroves, and water and the World Commission on Dams.

Photos of Chairs of the 5 Regional Meetings (Morning Session) and their respective countries:

Americas: Flavio Cházaro, Mexico

Oceania: Stephan Hunter, Australia

Asia: Desh Deepak Verma, India

Africa: Abdelghani Belouad, Algeria.

At midday there was a protest staged by activists from at least 3 different groups, as well as religious representatives. The protest included a procession with several signs and banners, led by 2 religious leaders who bowed to the ground after every 3 steps.

The afternoon Technical Session, consisting of several panel presentations, was Chaired by Ruhakana Rugunda, Uganda's minister of Water, Lands, and Environment. Nelson Andrade, Coordinator of UNEP's Caribbean Environment Programme was the first speaker. Other panel presentations are listed below:

Listen to Heather MacKay Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa, present the draft resolution on guidelines for allocation and management of water for maintaining ecological functions
Listen to Jamie Skinner, IUCN, present "The Report of the World Commission on Dams and its relevance to Ramsar"
Listen to Habib Gitay, Australian National University, present "Climate change and wetlands: impacts, adaptation and mitigation
Listen to Jorge Jiménez Ramón , STRP Chair, present "Wetland issues in integrated coastal zone management (ICZM)
Listen to Delmar Blasco, Ramsar Secretary General, present "Partnerships and synergies with multilateral environmental agreements and other institutions
Listen to Arthur Nogueira, of the CBD Secretariat, talk about cooperation between the CBD and Ramsar

Finally, Peter Bridgewater, GBF, announced a new publication called "Coral Reef Protected Areas in International Instruments", published by Salvat B., Haapkylä J. & M. Schrimm, (2002).