THE WETLAND CITY ACCREDITATION
IN A STEP-BY-STEP MANNER

This section describes the background, criteria and procedure for obtaining the “Wetland City Accreditation” of the Convention on Wetlands, a scheme adopted in 2015 during the 12th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Convention (COP12), through Resolution XII.10.

What is the “Wetland City Accreditation” Scheme?

“Wetland City Accreditation” is a voluntary scheme for subnational governments of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Wetlands. This scheme provides an opportunity for cities with strong and positive links to wetlands to use the distinctive mark of accreditation.

The accreditation is valid for two COP cycles (six years). Cities that maintain compliance with the accreditation criteria may renew it, subject to evaluation by the Independent Advisory Committee (IAC).

Official documents on Wetland City Accreditation are available on the Convention’s website.

Go to website

The Benefits of Becoming a Wetland City¹

Raise the profile of the city.
Market green credentials by demonstrating that nature is considered in local planning and decision-making.
Leverage funding opportunities.
Inspire other cities.
Join a global community of best practices.
Create and maintain vital urban spaces.
Enhance the well-being of all citizens.
Strengthen the city’s commitment to sustainability, resilience, and well-being, prioritizing responsible management of wetlands.
Raise the bar on delivering the wise use of wetlands.

1. Presentation by Rob McInnes, Managing Director, RM Wetlands & Environment Ltd. at the Second Roundtable of Wetland City Mayors held in Amiens, France in 2023.

Wetland Cities since 2018

Criteria

Summary of Wetland City Accreditation Criteria

Note: This infographic summarizes information contained in Ramsar Convention documents. It should not be considered as the main source for consultation. To complete the application form, please refer to the Wetland City Accreditation Operational Guide.

Group A. Criteria based on delivering the conservation and wise use of wetlands.

This group contains nine questions.
Each field is limited to 2,500 characters.

A1
Name any Ramsar Site that is fully or partially located within the city’s administrative boundaries.

A2
Name any other wetland conservation site that is fully or partially located within the city’s administrative boundaries.

A3
National and/or local policy, legislative measures, or other appropriate regulatory instruments

A4
Restoration and creation of wetlands.

A5
Spatial planning and integrated city management.

A6
Principles of inclusivity, empowerment, and participation of local stakeholders.

A7
Increase public awareness about the values of wetlands.

A8
Promotion of World Wetlands Day.

A9
Establishment a local committee (or similar structure) to support and to further the aims of the Wetland City Accreditation process.

Group B. Further information (optional but strongly recommended)

This group contains three questions
Each field is limited to 2,500 characters.

B1
Standards on water quality and sanitation, including waste management.

B2
Evidence that wetland ecosystem services are recognized and integrated into various decision-making processes.

B3
Concrete examples of how local communities are committed to the wise use of wetlands and how they benefit from the services these ecosystems provide.

Accreditation Process

“

LAC cities could contribute considerably to the accreditation scheme; they have led important citizen mobilization processes, have restored wetlands, and have carried out applied research to learn more about these ecosystems. Progress has also been made in the creation of incentives for wetland preservation.”

María Angélica Mejía

Representative of Latin America and the Caribbean
Independent Advisory Committee for Wetland City Accreditation

Recommendations for Cities:

Follow up on the diplomatic note published on the official website of the Ramsar Convention: https://www.ramsar.org/our-work/activities/wetland-city-accreditation. Additionally, cities can reach out to the National Focal Point (NFP) or the Administrative Authority (AA) of the Ramsar Convention in their country, which generally correspond to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Environment, respectively.
Bring together a team to push forward the application, taking into account the time it takes to gather the information required in the form, especially if it depends on multiple technical departments. The application form can be completed in Spanish, English or French.

Recommendations for Administrative Authorities (AAS):

Coordinate joint work with subnational governments keen on applying for the WCA. This work should be carried out in advance and include activities to familiarize key actors with the WCA scheme. Adequate planning will help overcome challenges such as political discontinuity.
National Focal Points and Administrative Authorities are encouraged to consult the IAC regional representative assigned to Latin America and the Caribbean for further information on the WCA scheme.

Who Reviews the Applications for Wetland
City Accreditation?

A candidate city for Wetland City Accreditation is approved as an accredited Wetland City by the Independent Advisory Committee (IAC) after being proposed by the Contracting Party on whose territory it stands and completing the accreditation procedure described in the Operational Guidance Annex.

IAC Composition

A Standing Committee (SC) representative from each of the six regions of the Ramsar Convention.
A representative from the Ramsar Convention’s International Organization Partners.
A representative from the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).
A representative from ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI).
A representative from the Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP) of the Ramsar Convention.
A representative from the Communication, Education, Participation and Awareness (CEPA) Oversight Panel of the Ramsar Convention.
Representatives of any relevant Ramsar Regional Initiatives.
The Secretary General of the Ramsar Convention or their designated representative (observer).
Technical advisors may be co-opted to IAC as required, subject to approval by the SC.

All regional contracting party representative members of IAC are agreed at the SC meeting following each COP.
All members of IAC will serve for one full COP cycle, with future renewal possible. For more information, see Decision SC52-16.

Contribution of Wetland City Accreditation to Global Targets for Water, Biodiversity, Climate Action and Cities

WCA’s Contribution to Convention on Wetlands Objectives

WCA’s Contribution to Global
Targets

Further Information

Motivation

The scheme emerges as a strategy to address the impacts of urbanization on wetlands, biodiversity and the quality of urban life. Wetlands are being threatened in two principal ways:

Through the planned or unplanned conversion of wetlands into urban areas, leading to problems such as polluted drainage, direct habitat loss, and uncontrolled waste disposal.
Through watershed-related impacts of urban development, including increased demands for water and heightened diffuse and point-source pollution.

Furthermore, there is a significant potential in urban areas in terms of education and public awareness related to wetlands conservation.

Expected Outcome

The Wetland City Accreditation scheme will encourage cities that are in close proximity to and dependent on wetlands, especially Wetlands of International Importance, to highlight and strengthen a positive relationship with these valuable ecosystems, for example through increased public awareness of wetlands and participation in municipal planning and decision-making.

Wise Use of Wetland

At the core of the Convention on Wetlands philosophy is the concept “wise use” of wetlands. The Convention defines wise use of wetlands as “the maintenance of their ecological character, achieved through the implementation of ecosystem approaches, within the context of sustainable development” (Ramsar Convention Secretariat, 2010). This approach prioritizes “the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands and their resources, for the benefit of humanity” (Ramsar Convention Secretariat, 2008).