 Convention to be strictly voluntary. While we strive to keep our annual contribution at or near previous levels, the actual level of our contribution will be determined through our domestic budgeting process. We request this statement be included in full in the official record.”
292. Speaking on behalf of the EU Member States present at COP10, France congratulated the Committee and its Chair and also recorded special thanks to Japan. The budget presented in DR 2 Rev.2 represented a fair and equitable compromise. France and the EU Member States also expressed their gratitude to those African Contracting Parties that had accepted an increase in their minimum contribution.
293. China also congratulated the Chair of the Committee for his efforts to reach consensus. Although China was not quite satisfied with the allocation of the increased budget, it would nevertheless support DR 2 Rev.2. China requested the Secretariat to brief Parties on progress with establishment with the new staff position for partnership development and hoped to see this result in effective fundraising for regional implementation. Finally, it would be appropriate to recognize the welcome initiative announced by the Africa region within the text of the Draft Resolution.
294. Venezuela stated for the record its position in favour of zero nominal growth so long as the legal status of the Secretariat remains unresolved.
295. DR 2 Rev.2 was adopted by consensus, subject to the correction tabled by the Chair of the Conference Committee on Finance & Budget and inclusion of the amendments proposed by Ecuador and China.
296. The Chair of the Conference Committee on Finance & Budget clarified that the voluntary increase in the minimum annual contribution accepted by African Contracting Parties would be committed for use on the Africa Regional Centre and would not constitute part of the core budget. He tabled specific text for new operative paragraphs 23 and 24, which gave effect to China’s proposed amendment and clarified the status of the voluntary increase.
297. The wording tabled by the Chair of the Conference Committee on Finance & Budget was adopted by acclamation.
298. The Alternate President opened the floor for comment on DR 31 Rev.2 Enhancing biodiversity in rice paddies as wetland systems.
299. Japan was pleased to announce that the informal working group on this DR had reached consensus on the outstanding paragraphs, and extended sincere gratitude to all Parties that had contributed to the process.
300. China expressed gratitude for the great efforts made by Japan and the Republic of Korea. Nevertheless, the DR remained idealistic. While humanity needed idealism to protect its only planet, there was a gap between idealism and reality. China would try its best in practice to achieve what it could.
301. The USA made the following statement for the record:
“In light of the insertion of the language, ‘consistent and in harmony with the Convention, the internationally agreed development goals and other relevant obligations’ in DR 31, para 12, and in DRs 24 and 26,.”
302. DR 31 Rev.2 was adopted by consensus without further amendment.
303. The Alternate President opened the floor for comment on DR 9 Rev.1 Refinements to the modus operandi of the Scientific & Technical Review Panel (STRP).
304. The Deputy Secretary General pointed out an editorial oversight in paragraph 17, where reference to the UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education should have been included.
305. Also referring to paragraph 17, Australia requested inclusion of the following statement in the record of the meeting:
“In accepting the words of paragraph 17, Australia is not necessarily agreeing that there are ‘matters of common interest’ between the Ramsar Convention and the Antarctic Treaty.”
306. DR 9 Rev.2 was adopted by consensus without further amendment.
307. The Alternate President opened the floor for comment on DR 12 Rev.2 Principles for partnerships between the Ramsar Convention and the business sector.
308. Interventions were made by Germany (speaking on behalf of the EU Member States present at COP10), Argentina, New Zealand, Australia, Paraguay, Brazil, Switzerland, Chile, Tanzania, and Mexico.
309. DR 12 Rev.2 was adopted by consensus, subject to the inclusion of amendments agreed by the COP.
310. The Alternate President opened the floor for comment on DR 15 Rev.1 Describing the ecological character of wetlands, and data needs and formats for core inventory: harmonized scientific and technical guidance.
311. Interventions were made by Argentina, El Salvador and Australia.
312. DR 15 Rev.1 was adopted by consensus, subject to the inclusion of an amendment tabled by Argentina.
313. The Alternate President asked the STRP and Secretariat to work together in finalising the text.
314. The Alternate President opened the floor for comment on DR 20 Rev.1 Biogeographic regionalization in the application of the Strategic Framework for the List of Wetlands of International Importance: scientific and technical guidance.
315. Following interventions by the UK and Argentina, it was decided to omit from the final version of the Annex the map and table entitled Marine Ecoregions of the World.
316. The UK announced that during COP10 it had designated two additional Ramsar sites, thereby bringing the UK total to 171. The UK was also pleased to announce that it would provide CHF 25,000 towards a joint Ramsar/AEWA project to review the impact of extractive industries on wetlands. It was hoped that a further sum of CHF 25,000 would be confirmed in the near future to support the work of the STRP.
317. Hungary announced that thanks to the efforts of Mrs Louise Lakos, former Chair of the Standing Committee, Hungary was allocating CHF 10,000 for the Small Grants Fund, in spite of the difficult economic circumstances at present.
318. DR 20 Rev.1 was adopted by consensus subject to removal of the map and associated table from the Annex.
319. The Alternate President opened the floor for comment on DR23 Rev.1 Wetlands and human health and well-being.
320. Subject to the inclusion of amendments tabled by Ecuador and Venezuela, DR 23 Rev.1 was adopted by consensus.
321. The Alternate President opened the floor for comment on DR 25 Rev.1 Wetlands and ‘biofuels’.
322. Interventions were made by the Netherlands (speaking on behalf of the EU Member States present at COP10), Kenya, Japan, Costa Rica, Brazil, Switzerland, Norway, Honduras, USA, Australia, Malaysia and IWMI.
323. The Alternate President ruled that further informal consultations should be held on this DR during the lunch break, with the aim of bringing forward a consensus text to the final plenary session.
324. The Deputy Secretary General stressed that it was too late for the Secretariat to be able to provide translations or to distribute a revised text. When the informal consultation group reported back to plenary, it would therefore need to speak to the Rev.1 text and table amendments orally through the interpreters.
325. The Alternate President opened the floor for comment on DR32 Rev.2 The Changwon Declaration.
326. The Deputy Secretary General noted that an amendment tabled by Japan during a previous plenary session had accidentally been omitted from Rev.2.
327. Interventions were made by Armenia, China, France (speaking on behalf of the EU Member States present at COP10), and Japan.
328. The Alternate President confirmed that in finalising the text of this DR, the Secretariat should harmonise terminology and language with other relevant DRs, especially DR 24 on climate change and wetlands.
329. Delegates applauded the Alternate President’s declaration that DR 32 Rev.2 concerning the Changwon Declaration was adopted (subject to inclusion of the amendment previously tabled by Japan).
330. The Alternate President opened the floor for comment on DR 29 Rev.1 Clarifying the functions of agencies and related bodies implementing the Convention at the national level.
331. Interventions were made by France (speaking on behalf of the EU Member States present at COP10), Australia, Brazil, Mexico, China and Cameroon.
332. Noting that there appeared to be some confusion over terminology, especially between the three different language versions of the text, the Alternate President asked France to lead further informal consultations on this DR with a view to being able to adopt a consensus text during the afternoon plenary session.
333. The Alternate President opened the floor for comment on DR 10 Rev.1 Future implementation of scientific and technical aspects of the Convention.
334. The Deputy Secretary General noted that this was another DR that would require careful harmonization to take account of decisions reached in the adoption of other COP10 Resolutions.
335. DR 10 Rev.1 was adopted by consensus without further amendment.
336. The Alternate President turned to consideration of DR 19 Rev.1 Wetlands and river basin management: consolidated scientific and technical guidance and asked the Chair of the STRP, Dr Heather MacKay, to make a brief introduction.
337. The Chair of the STRP noted that the amendments agreed in the previous plenary discussion of this DR had been incorporated. There had been no consensus on use of terminology referring to either “shared” or “transboundary” river basins, so an explanatory note had been added at the front of the document. Both terms were already in use in Ramsar Resolutions, though there was some tendency towards the use of “transboundary”, rather than “shared”. The drafting group had made sure that the use of both terms was contextually correct wherever they appeared in DR 19 Rev.1.
338. Interventions were made by Germany (speaking on behalf of the EU Member States present at COP10), Costa Rica, Switzerland, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, USA, Venezuela, Japan, RussianFederation, Norway and Paraguay.
339. Turkey made the following statement:
“Mr President, the Turkish delegation would like