Notification

Extension of deadline to 31 May - Call for expression of interest in a national wetland inventories training course

Date: 13.05.2024

To: Heads of Administrative Authorities, National Focal Points and Permanent Missions
  1. Background and Rationale
Data and information on the extent and condition of wetlands, and their changes over time are critical to inform the actions of governments and other actors to protect and sustainably use wetlands. Accordingly, national wetland inventories (NWIs) development is an important mechanism in providing a foundation for wetland assessment and monitoring as well as planning and decision support. This is recognized in the Convention on Wetlands Strategic Plan 2016-2024, under Goal 3 “Wisely using all wetlands”, Target 8: “National wetland inventories have been initiated, completed or updated and disseminated and used for promoting the conservation and effective management of all wetlands”, as well as in paragraph 16 of Resolution XIV.16. Paragraph 49 of Resolution XIV.6 encourages Parties to strengthen their efforts to complete their national wetland inventories and to report on wetland extent to report on SDG Indicator 6.6.1 and requests the Secretariat to continue working with Contracting Parties to actively support these efforts. However, progress on NWIs development remains limited.
In Decision SC62-34, the Standing Committee took note of the Secretariat’s proposed approach to address national wetland inventory through five workstreams, among them capacity building including training courses and training materials.
A three-year programme consisting of annual training courses and associated training materials in the three official languages of the Convention is being developed. Three training modules will be organized between 2024 and 2026. This will be closely aligned with the development of additional guidance on national wetland inventory.
  1. Structure of the training course
The training programme on national wetland inventories aims to support Contracting Parties to gain knowledge and know-how on how to undertake a national wetland inventory within an appropriate policy, scientific and technical framework. The training course consists of a series of one-week on-site training modules over three consecutive years.
Participants will be required to enroll for the whole training course over three years. This will allow participants to progressively deepen knowledge and action on NWIs. Participants will be given some form of homework between the on-site sessions, to ensure their continued engagement. Quarterly online check-ins will be proposed.
Three training modules will be organized between 2024 and 2026, with the following focus:
Module 1: Introduction to national wetland inventories;
Module 2: Earth observation techniques and knowledge: best practices to support national wetland inventories; and
Module 3: Long-term ecological knowledge: managing and updating national wetland inventories.
The training course will be conducted in English in September 2024, 2025, and 2026 in the Republic of Korea, with the support of and in partnership with the United Nations Office for Sustainable Development (UNOSD). The first course (Module 1) will take place at the National Institute of Ecology in Seocheon, Republic of Korea, from 9 to 13 September 2024.
Module 1 training courses in Spanish and French will be conducted early 2025 at other locations to be determined, supported by the Government of Norway.
Online training material based on these training modules will be made available on the Convention website to be accessible to all Parties to the Convention.
  1. Selection process
Participants to the training course will be selected by the Secretariat based on nominations made by Contracting Parties and with the following criteria and priorities.
Participants in the training course should be officers responsible for coordinating implementation of the national wetland inventory process, usually from within water and biodiversity-related ministries and/or public agencies.
Contracting Parties making the nomination will commit to engage over three years in the training course (Module 1 to Module 3) and to use this in elaborating and implementing a NWI process. Priority will be given to Contracting Parties that confirm that a NWI process has started or will shortly start; demonstrate political will across and engagement with relevant ministries/agencies (e.g. environment, land planning, forests, agriculture, finance, spatial and geographical sciences, etc.) as well as engagement with national scientists and other stakeholders.
Contracting Parties making nominations should be eligible to receive official development assistance (ODA[1]). Priority will be given to countries which are Least Developed Countries (LDC), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC), or Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
  1. Application process
Deadline for submission is 31 May 2024.
To apply, Contracting Parties should submit the following via email to the Secretariat (secretariat@ramsar.org):
• a letter of nomination, signed by the Head of the Administrative Authority, for two national nominees, who will both participate in one-week in-person training modules in 2024, 2025 and 2026 respectively, with their name, affiliation, role and contact details (email address) and confirmation of their proficiency in the selected language (EN, FR or SP), which must be sufficient to understand and engage with the training course.
The letter should also provide a brief rationale, including information on how the training will support ongoing or planned national wetland inventory processes, how cross-ministerial or cross-institutional engagement in the process is being mobilized, as well as how academic and other stakeholders are engaged throughout the process.
• the Curriculum Vitae (CVs) of the two national nominees.
Contact: For further information, please contact Senior Advisor for Europe – Dr. Flore Lafaye de Micheaux at lafayedemicheaux@ramsar.org.
Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands
28 rue Mauverney, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland
Tel: +41 22 999 0170