Establishment of the Indo Burma Ramsar Regional Initiative (IBRRI) Ramsar’s regional initiatives support cooperation and capacity-building on wetland-related issues in specific regions or sub-regions. IBRRI is one of the 19 RRIs globally. It was launched at a workshop in Bangkok in February 2017 and a first steering committee (SC) was held in April 2017. The SC is composed of representatives from Ramsar Administrative Authorities in the five IB countries. Cambodia currently serves as the Chair, while IUCN Asia Regional Office serves as the IBRRI Secretariat. IBRRI is of strategic importance to Mekong WET because it provides both a political anchor and high-level dissemination platform. Through regular SC meetings, Mekong WET activities will be discussed by officials with the authority and risibility to act on the recommendations. Through IBRRI, the policies and processes developed by the project will be scaled up and sustained. It also gives the project a legitimate role in coordinating Ramsar related activities in IB. Mekong WET Project Contribution to Ramsar Regional Initiatives, in particular, IBRRI 1) Mekong WET/IBRRI acting as connector between wetlands initiatives in Indo-Burma Region IBRRI/Mekong WET has developed its programme of work in close cooperation with other wetlands initiatives. For these initiatives, Mekong WET will provide technical assistance, assist with the political dialogue, help disseminate results regionally; ensure consistency with Ramsar processes, and ensure integration of results into NDC reports. Specifically, Mekong WET established strong links with several initiatives, which are also under the umbrella of IBRRI: GEF Climate Change Adaptation on Wetlands Areas (CAWA) led by FAO and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) and the KfW Lower Mekong Basin Wetland Management and Conservation Project (MRWP) led by MoNRE, both in Lao PDR. These projects work on the only two Ramsar sites in Lao PDR and support the development and implementation of wetlands adaptation and management tools and plans. IUCN provides technical assistance to both projects. Norwegian Environment Agency (NEA) funded Conservation of Biodiversity and Improved Management of Protected Areas in Myanmar implemented by the Ministry of Nature Resources and Environment Conservation (MoNREC). This project could potentially support site activities linked to Mekong WET in Myanmar (e.g. vulnerability assessments and development of management plans). Mekong WET would support the participation of the Myanmar officials in IBRRI events. 2) Participation of IBRRI members in Ramsar events The IBRRI Chair represented the IBRRI at the Standing Committee 53 and 54 of the Ramsar Convention in May 2017 in Switzerland, as well as the upcoming Ramsar COP13 in Dubai in 2018. The Chair ensured that the views of IBRRI’s members were taken into account in the development of operational guidelines, together with the IBRRI Strategic Plan for RRIs, to be endorsed at the upcoming COP in Dubai. Mekong WET project will also have a side event at the upcoming Ramsar COP13. Mekong WET and IBRRI to provide support for Ramsar site designation and wetlands policy development in Indo-Burma Region IUCN’s role in implementing Mekong WET and a IBRRI secretariat helped in the designation of the Gulf of Mottama in Myanmar as a Ramsar site in May 2017. The designation process had been stuck for two years, and the IBRRI dialogue on Ramsar sites motivated the government to nominate the gulf a Myanmar’s fourth Ramsar site: https://www.iucn.org/news/myanmar/201705/conserving-wetlands-myanmar-gulf-mottama-myanmar%E2%80%99s-fourth- ramsar-site. Cambodia is requesting IBRRI assistance with the designation of the Stung Sen Ramsar site in the Tonle Sap through input to the Ramsar Information Sheet (RIS) and support for political consultations. IBRRI assistance has also been sought for revisions of national wetlands policies in Myanmar and Cambodia.
Programme & Abstract for the Presentation : International Mangrove Forum Mangrove Management Towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 23 August 2018 @ 13.00-17.00 hrs. FORTROP Room, 3rd Floor, 60th Year Building Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University, Bangkok
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