Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and Society of Wetland Scientists renewed the Memorandum of Cooperation, joining forces for protection and sustainable use of wetlands.

The renewal of the Memorandum of Cooperation (2017-2023) between the Ramsar Convention and the Society of Wetland Scientists (SWS) took place during the International Seminar of LIFE Charcos Project, where a triple event occurred: the 7^th EPCN Workshop + LIFE Charcos Seminar + 12^th SWS European Chapter Meeting, from the 2^nd to 6^th of May, at the University of Algarve.

The Memorandum was officially signed by the Secretary General of the Ramsar Convention, Martha Rojas-Urrego (left on the photo) and the President of Society of Wetlands Scientists, Gillian Davies (right on the photo).

The Ramsar Convention and SWS have several major common objectives but are also different and complementary in scope. While the Ramsar Convention implements formal wetland protection and sustainable use worldwide at the government level, SWS builds a wetland science community and reaches out to policy makers and wetlands practitioners. The two organizations strengthen mutually their work which has been demonstrated by the Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) in the past six years.

Examples of current and developing collaborations between the two organizations include SWS’s representation on the Ramsar Scientific and Technical Review Panel, many shared educational initiatives such as collaborations on webinars, curriculum development, symposia at SWS Annual Meetings, World Wetlands Day, publication of Ramsar articles in SWS publications, potential Ramsar involvement in the new SWS international exchange program (Wetland Ambassadors), and SWS assistance with Ramsar outreach to citizen scientists, to name just a few.

By signing a Memorandum of Cooperation for 2017-2023, the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands welcomes the opportunity to strengthen collaboration with the Society of Wetland Scientists as an essential partner to achieve the Convention’s vision for a better, more sustainable world where healthy wetlands provide our economic and social security.

Source: //www.ramsar.org/news/ramsar-convention-and-society-of-wetlands-scientists-sws-renew-memorandum-of-cooperation

Additionally, the Europe Chapter signed two Memoranda of Cooperation with fellow societies: Wetland Pollutant Dynamics and Control (WETPOL) and the Constructed Wetlands Association (CWA), which promotes the application of constructed wetland technologies to address water pollution issues.