RAMSAR CONVENTION ON WETLANDS
54th Meeting of the Standing Committee
Gland, Switzerland, 23–27 April 2018

Doc. SC54-21.14
Draft Resolution on wetlands in polar and subpolar regions
Submitted by Sweden
Action requested:•The Standing Committee is invited to review the attached Draft Resolution for considerationby the 13th meeting of the Conference of the Parties.

Introduction
Information for the Standing Committee
Already at the European pre-COP meeting in Austria 2014 the participants concluded that there aregaps in our knowledge on Arctic wetlands and their values. Among other things they agreed upon arecommendation to prepare a Draft Resolution for COP12 as a next substantial step focusing on an
inventory of polar and circumpolar wetlands.
As chair for the Ramsar Regional Initiative NorBalWet 2016-2017, Sweden has taken over the lead to
produce and submit a draft resolution on polar and subpolar wetlands. Sweden has also recently
started a project in the Arctic Council about wetlands. Sweden would like this project to continue
and develop further and ensure similar measures are taken in the southern hemisphere, whenapplicable. Such measures have been included in the resolution.
Financial implications of implementation
The draft resolution mostly addresses the Contracting Parties so costs for the Secretariat should belimited. We believe that the cost for the Secretariat could come from the core budget, especiallysince there is already some funds allocated for the co-operation with the Conservation of Arctic
Flora and Fauna (CAFF).
The draft resolution does not include establishment of centers etc. that demand investments andlong-term management costs.
Paragraph (numberand key part of text)
The entire resolution

ActionSupport Contracting Parties to implement
the Resolution (if accepted at the COP) /Staff at the Secretariat
Travel budget for meetings 1-2 per year
(Lower figure with one meeting, higher
figure with two meetings.)

Cost (CHF/year)
15 working days
3 000-6 000 (Lower figurewith one meeting, higher
figure with two meetings.)

Draft Resolution XIII.xx
Wetlands in polar and subpolar regions
The area and the Contracting Parties this resolution addresses
1.

HAVING CONSIDERED that there is no single agreed-upon definition of the polar and subpolar
regions, there is a need to specify the area that this resolution addresses. This resolutionaddresses the Arctic and subarctic delineated as the CAFF boundary (Arctic Council) and theAntarctic as delineated by the Antarctic Treaty area (the area south of 60º South Latitude) andthe subantarctic as areas with tundra climate (ET) according to Köppen climate classification 1
between the 45º and 60º South Latitudes, except areas with mountain climate that doesn’t
have adjacent lowland areas with tundra climate.

2.

ALSO, HAVING CONSIDERED that since some measures to mitigate the impact on polar andsubpolar areas can take place ex situ, for example mitigating climate change, much can be done
for the polar and subpolar areas ex situ. In that aspect the resolution also addresses all theContracting Parties. RECALLING the Ramsar resolutions X.25 and X1.14, that restoration ofpeatland can (could) be such one measure,

Polar and subpolar wetlands biodiversity, ecosystem services and vulnerability
3.

RECALLING that Wetlands, as defined by the Ramsar Convention, are “areas of marsh, fen,peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is
static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at
low tide does not exceed six meters”,

4.

NOTING that according to the definition above, various types of wetlands occur in the polar andsubpolar regions, many of them having subtypes and a biodiversity that only exists in theseregions, and are of global importance. AWARE of the diversity and value of wetland ecosystems
in polar and subpolar regions, and on their global connections via the flyways of migratory birdand migration routes of sea mammals,

5.

RECOGNIZING the importance of wetlands for their biodiversity, their ecosystem services for
local communities and First Nations, and their function as carbon sinks and storage is ofimportance in the global context of climate change,

6.

RECOGNIZING that the polar and subpolar wetland ecosystems are very sensitive andvulnerable, for example oil spills may cause more severe impact due to dark midwinters andlower temperatures than in other regions, and that these regions are also among the thosewhere climate change has and will have a large impact. ALSO RECOGNIZING that terrestrial land
areas are also vulnerable, for example can damaged vegetation covers take a long time torecover with severe erosion problems as a result. Such erosion can also damage wetlands,draining them or overlaying them with deposits.

7.

CONSCIOUS that with climate change, thawing will have impact on wetlands, for example palsa
mires,

1

According to Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L.; McMahon, T. A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen–Geiger
climate classification". Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 11: 1633–1644. doi:10.5194/hess-11-1633-2007. ISSN 10275606.
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Knowledge and awareness8.

CONSCIOUS that much scientific data is still needed about wetland ecosystems in the polar andsubpolar regions, and that knowledge remains relatively poorly assessed and recognized ofdifferent wetlands types’ historical evolution, geographic distribution and area coverage, andtheir biodiversity, ecological functions, ecosystem services and other important values as wellas the amount of their vulnerability;

9.

ALSO, CONSCIOUS of the urgent need for increased knowledge of these wetlands, as knowledge
is necessary (cruial) for effective conservation and sustainable, wise use,

Protected areas and areas of high conservation value
10. RECOGNIZING that there are several protected areas in the polar and subpolar areas and thatthe total area of protected areas has increased in the last 25 years and almost doubled in theArctic/subarctic. There is a wide range of management categories for these protected areas,from strict nature reserves to protection with sustainable use. The level of protection andgovernance varies throughout these regions. At the end of 2017, there were about 80 sites
designated as Ramsar sites in the Arctic/subarctic and 5 sites in the Antarctic/subantarctic,
11. CONCERNED that while progress has been made, there is no analysis of how well the network ofprotected areas fulfill the criteria of being an “ecologically connected, representative, andeffectively managed network of protected and specially managed areas that protects andpromotes the resilience of the biological diversity, ecological processes and cultural heritage”,
12. RECOGNIZING that even if the Antarctic is not part of any territory of the Contracting Parties,
international agreements protecting certain areas in the Antarctic are in place; for example, theAntarctic Treaty and the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources.
13. ALSO RECOGNIZING that CAFF has recognized 97 areas of marine heightened ecological andcultural significance in the Arctic/subarctic 2, areas where impact from shipping should beavoided or mitigated. Several of these areas included coastal wetlands,
Threats to wetlands
14. RECOGNISING the potential threats generated by current and future developments in the polarand subpolar region,
15. RECALLING that the polar and subpolar areas are highly impacted by climate change, especiallyin the northern hemisphere, and are among the most rapidly changing ecosystems due toclimate change,
16. RECALLING that wild fires have increased in the Arctic and subarctic, even in the dried up upper
layer of peatlands,
17. RECOGNIZING that the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment notes several changes in the Arcticecosystems, for example rapid northward shifts of northern tree lines as a result of recent rises
in summer temperatures, marine species changing their food habits due to lack of prey and2AMAP/CAFF/SDGW. Identification of Arctic marine areas of heightened ecological and cultural significance.
Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment (AMSA) IIc.
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breakdowns in food webs, thereby losing fitness and often being in bad condition due to lack offood or having to excessively consume energy by increased foraging,
18. RECOGNIZING that the Arctic Biodiversity Assessment of the Conservation of Arctic Fauna andFlora working group of the Arctic Council (CAFF) notes declines in some wetland types in theArctic, and that the Global Assessment on Peatlands Biodiversity and Climate Change adopted
by Decision IX/16 of the Convention on Biological Diversity on Biodiversity and climate change
states that Arctic peatlands are vulnerable.
International co-operation
19. RECALLING the Memorandum of Cooperation signed at the 11th Meeting of the Conference ofthe Contracting Parties (COP11, Bucharest, 2012) between the Ramsar Secretariat and CAFF,THE CONFERENCE OF THE CONTRACTING PARTIES
Knowledge and awareness20. ENCOURAGE that the concerned Contracting Parties have sufficient data about polar andsubpolar wetlands and should undertake needed complementary inventories, research andassessment of polar and subpolar wetlands;
21. URGE that assessment(s) of the polar and subpolar wetlands are made; the assessments may
include the state of wetlands, hot-spot analysis for wetland biodiversity, gaps in the network ofprotected areas – their representation and connectivity for different scenarios for climatechange in these regions and how this may affect the wetlands;
22. ENCOURAGE Contracting Parties to work with the support of the Secretariat to raise awarenessof the value of polar and subpolar wetlands and to consolidate existing knowledge for decisionmaking for their conservation and (sustainable and) wise use; not forgetting the importance ofeach individual’s behavior to prevent wild fires and unwise use of terrain vehicles that may
cause damage;Protected areas and areas of high conservation value
23. ENCOURAGE Contracting Parties to designate new Ramsar sites in ecological regions in thepolar/subpolar regions where certain wetland types are underrepresented in the network ofRamsar sites;
24. URGE Contracting Parties to designate new protected areas in ecological regions in thepolar/subpolar regions where protected areas with certain wetland types are underrepresented
in the network of protected areas;
25. ENCOURAGES Contracting Parties to designate more protected areas through international
agreements in the area covered by the Antarctic Treaty, where there are unprotected wetland
hotspots for biodiversity;
Mitigation of impact on wetlands and restoration
26. URGE Contracting Parties to ensure that restoration measures in wetlands are prioritized andtaken to improve the connectivity between suitable habitats, especially for sites of importance

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for migrating wetland species and sites with available fresh water in sub regions where fresh
water is scarce; -.
27. URGE Contracting Parties to ensure that physical planning and development projects takeproper care of wetlands in polar and subpolar regions. For example, terrain vehicles may beforbidden in areas with sensitive habitats where damage may be a consequence;
28. URGE Contracting Parties with domestic or semi-domestic grazing animals to ensure that thepopulation size of these herds is kept at a level that does not risk wetland populations of wild
grazing animals and that the combined grazing pressure of domestic and wild animals does notrisk overgrazing of the wetlands.
29. URGE Contracting Parties to mitigate large scale erosion problems that may arise or alreadyexist because of different kinds of exploitation. Measures may include both wetlands andterrestrial habitats;
30. URGE that Contracting Parties ensure that measures to eradicate existing and future possible
invasive alien species are put into place;
31. URGE that Contracting Parties restore peatlands with large carbon storage, regardless of theirclimate zone, to mitigate climate change in the polar/subpolar regions;International co-operation
32. CALLS on the Ramsar Secretariat to consider synergies with UNFCCC to identify mechanisms andincentives for the conservation and wise use of polar and subpolar wetlands; and further CALLS
on the Liaison Group of Biodiversity-related Conventions to mobilize relevant frameworks, suchas the Intergovernmental science-policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services(IPBES), to improve the conservation and wise use of polar and subpolar wetlands;
33. INVITES the Ramsar Secretariat, building on the existing cooperation agreement with CAFF, toconsider developing and signing a similar type of agreement with the Antarctic Treaty
Secretariat;
34. INVITES the Ramsar Secretariat to create an ad hoc working group with Ramsar, UNFCCC, CBD,IPBES, CMS/AEWA and the Berne Convention to work on polar and subpolar wetlands;
Follow-up
35. URGE concerned Contracting Parties, with the support of the Scientific and Technical Review
Panel and the Ramsar Secretariat in cooperation with relevant other MEAS, RegionalOrganizations, Regional Initiatives, IOPs, etc, to establish an assessment of the polar wetlands
and to present reports of the results (one for each hemisphere may also be acceptable) atRamsar COP15 in 2024. Short progress reports can be presented at the COP14 in 2021.

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