Strengthening the resilience of the Mekong region wetlands by means of a Ramsar regional initiative
As of: January 2022
The Mekong is one of the longest rivers in the world. Its wetlands are among the most important natural carbon sinks in Southeast Asia and their ecosystem services are crucial elements in the lives of millions of people. However, no effective regional management cooperation exists between the 24 identified Ramsar areas in the Mekong region and this is why the project is carrying out a weak points analysis and developing management plans to improve the climate change resilience of ten areas. The knowledge gained is shared with the remaining 14 Ramsar areas. The project also provides further training and grants to support joint action between municipalities and authorities, sets up platforms for exchanging information on wetlands, uses case studies for political lobbying and seeks to exert greater influence for the protection of wetlands by means of publicity measures at national level./
State of implementation/results
- Climate Change Vulnerability assessment summaries have been published. These identify key threats to wetland ecosystems, species and community livelihoods considering future climate scenarios.
- Viet Nam hosted the first Wetland National Training course with the Mekong Wetlands University Network. This trained Vietnamese wetland managers in techniques for assessing Ramsar sites and the impacts of climate change.
- Planning workshops were held with stakeholders of the Koh Kapik Ramsar site in order to identify priority actions for Climate Change Adaptation in the coastal wetland based on the results of the Vulnerability Assessment.
Further Links
- Exploring national and regional opportunities to strengthen wetlands policy framework in the Lower Mekong region
- Developing climate change adaptation plans for Koh Kapir Ramsar site
- Nature-based Solutions emphasised at Asia-Pacific Climate Week
- Climate change vulnerability assessments predict water scarcity and biodiversity loss in Cambodian wetlands
- New climate change assessments report future threats to Lao PDR’s largest peatlands
- Climate change vulnerability assessment: Rice farming communities in Viet Nam at risk
- Thai wetlands at risk: Climate change will affect marine biodiversity and human livelihoods
Project data
- Country:
- Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Viet Nam
- Implementing organisation:
- International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) - Asia Regional Office (ARO) - Thailand
- Political partner(s):
- Ministry of Environment (MoE) - Cambodia
- Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MoNRE) - Lao PDR
- Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning - ONEP - Thailand
- Vietnam Environment Administration (VEA)
- BMU grant:
- 2.530.000,00 €
- Duration:
- 01/2017 till 03/2022
- Document(s):
-
Statutes and Operational Guidelines for the Indo-Burma Ramsar Regional Initiative (IBRRI)
Related news
| 02.02.2020 | Citizen journalism for the Mekong |
Related publications
| 09/2020 | Policy Brief: National Wetland Policies |
