The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
The Convention’s CEPA Programme
Ramsar's
CEPA Oversight Panel
CEPA Oversight Panel
Through Resolution
IX.18 adopted at COP9 in November 2005, the Parties instructed the
Standing Committee at its 34th meeting to establish a
CEPA Oversight Panel to monitor and report on the implementation of
the Convention's Communication, Education, and Public Awareness (CEPA)
Programme established by Resolution VIII.31, and to examine and set
priorities for communication, education and capacity building in collaboration
with the Wetlands International CEPA Specialist Group and the Advisory
Board on Capacity Building for the Ramsar Convention.
Although the Resolution noted
that the CEPA Panel should meet mostly through electronic means, at
Standing Committee's 34th meeting it was agreed that the first meeting
should take place face-to-face on the 29th May, 2006, in Gland.
Report of the 1st
Meeting, 29th May, 2006 
Report of the 2nd Meeting, 20-21 June, 2007
Report to Standing Committe 36, February
2008
Membership of the CEPA Panel
The composition of the CEPA Panel for the period 2006-2008, as established by SC34 includes:
Vice Chair of SC: John Bowleg [Chair of the Oversight Panel]
Chair of the SC Subgroup on Finance: Herb Raffaele
Vice-Chair of the STRP: Rebecca D'Cruz
Chair of the STRP/WI CEPA Specialist Group: Chris Prietto
CEPA Government NFP: Gerhard Sigmund (Austria)
CEPA Government NFP: Charles Amankwah (Ghana)
CEPA NGO NFP: Stefan Bohorquez (Ecuador)
IOPs representative: Tunde Ojei (Wetlands International)
Regional Ramsar Centre representative: CREHO - Rosa Montañez
Ramsar Advisory Board on Capacity Building representative: Petra Spliethoff (Wageningen International)Ex officio: Anada Tiéga (from 1st August 2007), Secretary General; Sandra Hails, CEPA Programme Officer
Major tasks of the CEPA Panel
As agreed by SC34, the key tasks of the Panel for the triennium include:
- Monitoring
and reporting on CEPA issues within the Convention and the progress
of implementation of the CEPA Programme as established by Resolution
VIII.31, The Convention's Programme on communication, education and
public awareness (CEPA) 2003-2008, especially with reference to
the CEPA activities of the Secretariat.
- Advising
the Standing Committee and the Secretariat on the CEPA work priorities
at the national and international levels, including the CEPA priorities
of the Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP).
- Clarifying
the broad roles of the two government and non-governmental CEPA National
Focal Points (NFPs) nominated by each Party.
- Identifying,
with the involvement of the "Ramsar Advisory Board on Capacity
Building", priorities in recognition of the gaps between capacity
building opportunities and needs for the broad range of wetland professionals
and stakeholders.
- Liaising
with other multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) to improve synergies
across conventions, as called for in Resolutions VIII.5 and IX.5.
- Advising
the Standing Committee on the form and function of the next CEPA Programme,
for the period 2009-2014, to be proposed to COP10.
Background
documents
Resolution IX.18 Establishment of an Oversight Panel for the CEPA activities of the Convention
Standing Committee DOC. SC34-11 Establishment of an Oversight Panel for CEPA activities and adoption of a modus operandi
DOC. SC34-14 Report on training activities and capacity building from the Ramsar Advisory Board on Capacity Building
Resolution VIII.31 The Convention's Programme on communication, education and public awareness (CEPA) 2003-2008
Return to the CEPA Programme index page
For further information about the Ramsar Convention
on Wetlands, please contact the Ramsar Convention Secretariat,
Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland (tel +41 22 999 0170, fax
+41 22 999 0169, 
e-mail
). Posted 12 May 2006, updated 20 July, 2008, Sandra Hails, Ramsar.
