The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands is an intergovernmental treaty, making it the first modern international environmental agreement focused on conserving natural resources. It was adopted in Ramsar, Iran, on February 2, 1971, and came into force on December 21, 1975. The Convention was created to address the increasing loss and degradation of wetland habitats, initially focusing on their importance for migratory waterbirds.
The Convention works through three main pillars of commitment for its Contracting Parties: first, to promote the wise use of all wetlands within their territory; second, to designate suitable wetlands for the List of Wetlands of International Importance (known as Ramsar Sites) and ensure their effective management; and third, to cooperate internationally on transboundary wetlands. Article 1, paragraph 1 defines wetlands broadly, encompassing areas like marshes, coral reefs, and human-made sites such as rice paddies. Article 2 stipulates that each Contracting Party must designate at least one site for the List. The policymaking body is the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP), which meets every three years.
A key related concept is the Montreux Record, a register of Ramsar Sites where the ecological character has changed, is changing, or is likely to change due to human interference. While the original focus was on waterfowl habitat, the scope has broadened to cover all aspects of wetland conservation and freshwater issues. The Convention text was amended in 1982 and 1987. Most recently, at COP15 in July 2025, Contracting Parties adopted the fifth Strategic Plan (SP5) for 2025–2034.