洞庭湖宣言

濕地生物多樣性保護主流化國際研討會

2007年12月1-4日,中國岳陽

國家林業局宣傳辦公室

    我們，來自澳大利亞、喀麥隆、加拿大、中國、埃及、印度、墨西哥、巴基斯坦、南非、英國、美國等11個 國家和聯合國開發計劃署、世界自然基金會、濕地國際等組織的 130多位代表，于2007年12月1日至4日相聚于岳陽、洞庭之濱，圍繞濕地生物多樣性保護主流化進行了深入探討，達成廣泛共識，共同發表《洞庭湖宣言》：

    • 濕地保護主流化是一種理念、一種機制、一個過程。它要求我們運用生態系統方法，突破條塊分割、政出多門的傳統管理習慣，將濕地生物多樣性保護納入到相關部門和行業的議事日程，綜合有效地協調其決策和行動，以實現濕地的保護與可持續利用。

    •會議期間，各國的濕地保護經驗反復印證了主流化是確保濕地生物多樣性保護和可持續利用的有效方法和措施。洞庭湖濕地興盛與區域社會可持續發展的密切關係就是典型案例之一。昔日八百里洞庭，吞長江，納四水，浩浩湯湯，為中國第一大淡水湖。是著名的魚米之鄉，鳥類和其他野生動植物的天堂，具有極為重要的生態、社會和文化價值。然而，由於自然因素和人類活動的影響，湖區人水爭地，濕地萎縮，水生生物資源銳減，使得洞庭湖濕地生態系統的服務功能受到了嚴重破壞，影響到了洞庭湖區乃至長江流域經濟社會的可持續發展。

    •我們高興地看到，中國各級政府和部門在國際社會的支持下, 逐步推進洞庭湖濕地保護的主流化工作，將對其的保護列入到了洞庭湖區域、乃至長江中下游國民經濟可持續發展的議事日程，並先後在洞庭湖區各部建立自然保護區，設立國際重要濕地、開展濕地恢復和保護以及大規模的退田還湖工程。此外，聯合國開發計劃署和全球環境基金支持的中國濕地生物多樣性保護與可持續利用項目以及世界自然基金會支持的生命之河項目也積極參與和促進了洞庭湖濕地保護的主流化實踐。通過努力，洞庭湖濕地生態系統的退化趨勢得到了有效地遏制，一個生機勃勃、潤澤四方的洞庭湖正逐漸展現在我們面前。

    我們認識到：

    •濕地生態系統的多種功能和所提供的産品與服務是社會經濟可持續發展的基礎。她與陸地、海洋生態系統並列為全球三大生態系統，是連接海洋與陸地生態系統的紐帶；濕地生態系統在全球碳循環中起著關鍵作用；同時，濕地又是地球上初級生産力最大的生態系統，是生物多樣性最豐富、最密集之場所，為人類物質文明與精神文明建設的基礎；濕地調蓄洪水、凈化水源的功能不僅為我們提供水源，補充地下水，還時刻為我們抵禦自然災害（洪災、旱災與風暴潮等）等等。

    •因其非常重要的價值和效益，濕地是目前全球受破壞最嚴重、生物多樣性受威脅最嚴重的生態系統，其主要原因是沒有統一協調的、可持續利用的濕地利用機制。儘管《濕地公約》與《生物多樣性公約》已簽署多年，但是，不僅全球範圍內的濕地生態系統退化趨勢仍然沒有得到根本性扭轉，而且這種趨勢還會因全球氣候變化的影響而進一步加劇。

    •此外，濕地，尤其是泥炭地又是全球最重要的碳庫。但若這類濕地遭受嚴重破壞，將成為全球最重要的溫室氣體來源。

    我們呼籲：

    國際社會、各國政府、各級濕地管理部門和機構應加大對濕地生態系統功能與服務的宣傳、教育和研究的投入力度，讓全社會認識到濕地生態系統在社會、經濟可持續發展中的關鍵作用，使濕地保護與可持續利用原則充分體現在各層次的社會、經濟發展政策和規劃的制訂與實施過程中，儘快扭轉濕地退化的趨勢，恢復濕地生態系統功能和服務，從而滿足社會經濟發展對濕地的需求，應對全球氣候變化。

    在全球層面上：

    •迫切需要將濕地保護納入到全球環境與發展的磋商進程中去。（1）濕地公約秘書處應在聯合國所有相關磋商中擁有官方席位；（2）濕地公約應將其與生物多樣性公約的合作模式推廣到與其他多邊協議（聯合國可持續發展委員會、聯合國防止沙漠化公約、聯合國遷徙物種公約、聯合國氣候變化框架公約等）的合作中；尤其是與聯合國氣候變化框架公約的合作，儘快認可濕地生態系統在二氧化碳減排和應對全球氣候變化中的作用；

    •鋻於濕地生物多樣化保護主流化的重要性，但《生物多樣性公約》和《濕地公約》均沒有相關的指南，我們建議：（1）聯合國開發計劃署為生物多樣性公約和濕地公約起草濕地生物多樣性保護主流化技術指南；2）《濕地公約》第十次締約方大會考慮通過濕地保護主流化的大會決議；

    •國際非政府組織應加大對濕地保護的投入，在濕地保護的各層次（全球、國家、地區和社區）推動其主流化進程。

    在國家層面上：

    •近20年的經驗充分表明了濕地生態系統的脆弱性，各國政府在濕地保護主流化過程中應採用謹慎利用原則原則；

    •在濕地保護主流化過程中應採用各種措施和機制，包括發展政策、立法、規劃、財政與稅收、經濟激勵和國際貿易政策以及能力建設、研究和技術開發等；

    •成功的濕地保護主流化過程需要公眾的認可與理解。因此，我們懇請各國政府加大公眾宣傳力度，讓公眾正確認識濕地的價值。同時，積極的社區的參與是濕地保護主流化的關鍵，我們建議各國政府採用公開、透明方針，激勵當地社區在濕地生物多樣性保護中發揮更大的作用。

Dongting Lake Declaration

On the occasion of the International Workshop on Mainstreaming Wetland Biodiversity Conservation

Dec. 1-4, 2007, Yueyang, China

    We, 120 representatives from 11 countries representing both developed and developing countries from four continents, including Australia, Cameroon, Canada, China, Egypt, India, Mexico, Pakistan, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as well as from UNDP, Wetlands International and WWF, gathered by Dongting Lake from December 1st to 4th 2007, to discuss and debates the theme of mainstreaming wetland biodiversity conservation. Our consensus on this issue is reflected in this Dongting Lake Declaration.

    We agree that:

    Mainstreaming wetland conservation is a process, a philosophy and a mechanism by which wetlands policies, planning and implementation converge to form a comprehensive solution to wetlands biodiversity conservation and sustainable use. It requires an ecosystem approach, involving all levels of government, the public and private sectors, and integrating diverse sectoral interests, so as to form a coherent and coordinated wetlands biodiversity program that balances wetlands conservation and sustainable use.

    Drawing attention to the fact that:

    Experience from all countries in the workshop confirms mainstreaming as an effective mechanism that helps us to address wetland conservation issues. Dongting Lake, formerly the largest freshwater lake in China, is an important example of mainstreaming wetland biodiversity conservation. Dongting Lake once covered an area of six thousands square kilometers, accommodating the vast water inflows and outflows of the Yangtze River and its four tributaries. In the past, Dongting lake and its surrounding basin was managed by sectoral agencies in an uncoordinated manner that has led to damage to the wetlands, decline in biodiversity, and loss of ecosystem functions that are critically important to the health of the lower Yangtze River system. However, through mainstreaming there is now an integrated and coordinated management program for Dongting Lake that involves all sectors and which engages the public. Mainstreaming has also led to greater balance between conservation and sustainable development and has been the key factor in the recovery of Dongting Lake.

    We note the efforts and progress made with regard to the Dongting Lake conservation, including the designation of three Ramsar sites, the large-scale return of agricultural land to wetland, wetland restoration and protection programmes, the UNDP supported Wetland Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use Programme, and the WWF supported Partnership for a Living Yangtze Programme. These actions effectively reverse the degradation trend of the Dongting Lake wetland ecosystem.

    Therefore:

    We confirm that:

    The multi-functions and services of wetland ecosystem are the basis of sustainable socio-economic development. Of the three global ecosystems, wetland ecosystems are the link between the terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Wetlands play a critical role in global carbon cycling. They are also the ecosystem with the highest primary productivity and richest biodiversity on Earth and are the inspiration for cultural and spiritual values for millennia. Wetlands play a central economic role in areas such as flood retention and mitigation, groundwater recharge, and water purification and provide effective barriers to natural disasters like floods, droughts and storms.

    We note that:

    Notwithstanding the benefits of wetlands, they are the most deteriorated and biologically threatened of all global ecosystems. The cause is mainly the unsustainable, irrational and un-coordinated management of wetlands, which normally fails to integrate different purposes and interests in wetland utilization. Despite the Ramsar Convention and the Convention on Biodiversity, degradation of wetland ecosystems continues at the global scale, and will deteriorate further under global climate change. Wetlands, particularly peat lands, are one of the most globally important terrestrial carbon sinks; but if destroyed , they will become the largest single carbon source of global significance.

    We endorse the proposal that:

    International societies, governments, wetland management institutes and organizations should strengthen their efforts in communication, education and research of wetland ecosystem's functions and services, promote amongst the whole society the key role of wetlands in sustainable socio-economic development, integrate and embody principles of wetland conservation and sustainable management in the formulation and implementation of socio-economic development policies and planning at all levels, reverse as rapidly as possible wetland degradation and restore the functions and services of wetlands, so as to meet the needs of socio-economic development, to cope with global climate change, and to provide essential habitat that supports a healthy and diverse range of living species. .

    Specifically, we recommend that:

    A. At the International Level:

    - Mainstreaming of wetland conservation be urgently integrated into the global processes of environment and development negotiation. This requires two actions: (1) The Ramsar Convention, through its Secretariat should have an official seat in United Nations fora on global issues, and (2) the Convention on Wetlands should extend its cooperation model with the Convention on Biological Diversity to other multi-lateral conventions such as UNCSD, CCD, CMS, and in particular UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), so as to include the central role that wetlands play in CO2 emission reduction and global climate change response strategies.

    - Recognising the centrality of mainstreaming to wetlands biodiversity conservation, and noting the absence of specific guidance in either the Ramsar Convention or the CBD, we recommend that (1) the UNDP on behalf both of Ramsar and the CBD develop specific guidance on mainstreaming in wetlands and related biodiversity conservation, and (2) the 10th Conference of Parties (COP) of the Convention on Wetlands should consider adopting a resolution on mainstreaming wetland conservation.

    - International NGOs should invest more in wetland conservation and facilitate the mainstreaming processes of wetland conservation at global, national, regional and site levels.

    B. At the national level

    - The past 20 years have demonstrated the fragility of wetland ecosystems, therefore we support the precautionary principle and recommend that all governments make this a guiding principle in wetlands mainstreaming activities.

    - That governments adopt mainstreaming as the key component of wetlands management, extending from laws and regulations, to implementation practices.

    - We note that the full range of economic and development instruments should be included and coordinated in wetland mainstreaming activities. This includes development policy, legislation, planning, finance and taxation, economic incentives, international trade, capacity building, and research, and technology.

    - Successful mainstreaming requires an informed public, therefore we urge all governments to make special efforts to educate the public in wetlands values. We regard effective community participation as an essential element of mainstreaming and we urge all governments to adopt full disclosure and transparency in their stewardship of wetlands and wetlands biodiversity.