Is there increased funding being diverted for wetland conservation?
The development and prosperity of people is closely linked to the conservation of wetlands. Where it is possible to make this link, increased funding from a range of national, state and local programmes, bilateral and international development agencies and the corporate sector is also contributing to the conservation of wetlands. At the same time, the drive for development has resulted in the destruction of many wetlands. It is important to recognise that local people and governments in using the Convention as a major tool to promote wetland conservation even though it is rather difficult to assess the precise role of the Convention in these developments. As impressive as these programmes and indicators of success may appear, the challenges to conserve our wetlands in the Asia Pacific continue to increase and continued positive action will need the will and commitment of all people. Looking ahead In 1999, the WWF published an informative publication entitled “The Ramsar Convention: A r
