Montreal - 9 January 2007, Mr. Peter Bridgewater, Secretary General of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, and Mr. Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), set ground-breaking standards for collaboration between multilateral environment agreements through the new draft joint work plan of the two conventions.
        Ongoing cooperation between the two conventions is already regarded as a model upon which multilateral agreements can work. The new draft joint work plan seeks to create the framework for both organizations to act on strategic opportunities arising in the years to come.
The new draft joint work plan takes into account the rapidly changing world where climate change and human development are high on the public and political agenda. It also addresses the growing realization that water is our most precious resource and its wise management the greatest natural resource challenge facing us in this century.
        “The role of biodiversity and of wetlands in the new global context remains largely neglected,” said Mr. Bridgewater.
        “Biodiversity underpins the delivery of an enormous number of goods and services provided to people by wetlands,” said Mr. Djoghlaf.
        “Wetlands and biodiversity are impacted by climate change and our responses to it, but, more importantly, have a significant role to play in mitigation of the impacts of climate change upon people,” underlined Mr. Bridgewater.
        The new joint work plan runs until the crucial date of 2010—the planned International Year of Biological Diversity, and the date at which countries are to have realized a substantial reduction in the rate of loss of biodiversity—the 2010 biodiversity target.
        At this time, the joint work plan will be assessed in terms of its contributions towards the 2010 biodiversity target. Centring on the need to support Parties and harmonize national biodiversity strategies and action plans, national wetland policies, and national poverty reduction strategies—the draft plan promotes innovative approaches to implementation of both conventions with an emphasis on communication and public awareness, addressing institutional weaknesses and capacity-building.
        The draft joint work plan will be presented to the governing bodies of each convention for approval, but it has already set the pace for collaboration at Secretariat level.
        “We want to work together to make a difference,” said Mr. Djoghlaf. “We do that by identifying strategic opportunities, seizing upon them, and backing this up with the fullest commitment.” He further added: “Here is an unprecedented opportunity to put biodiversity and wetlands in their rightful place on the world stage”.