| AAs |
administrative authorities, Ramsar implementing agencies |
| AEWA |
African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement |
| BLG |
Biodiversity Liaison Group (CBD, CITES, CMS, Ramsar, and World Heritage) |
| CBD |
Convention on Biological Diversity |
| CEC |
IUCN Commission on Education and Communications |
| CEM |
IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management |
| CEPA |
communications, education, and public awareness |
| CIESIN |
Center for International Earth Science Information Network |
| CITES |
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna |
| CMS |
Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals |
| COP |
Conference of the Contracting Parties |
| COP8 |
8th meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties |
| CP |
Contracting Party, or member state, of the Convention |
| CSD |
UN Commission on Sustainable Development |
| DAC |
Development Assistance Committee of the OECD |
| DSG |
Deputy Secretary General |
| EIA |
environmental impact assessment |
| EKBY |
The Greek Wetland / Biotope Centre |
| EPA |
education and public awareness; Environmental Protection Agency |
| EWS |
early warning system |
| GAPP |
Global Action Plan for Peatlands |
| GBF |
Global Biodiversity Forum |
| GEF |
Global Environment Facility |
| GISP |
Global Invasive Species Programme |
| GPA |
Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-Based Activities |
| GWEN |
Global Wetlands Economics Network |
| IAIA |
International Association for Impact Assessment |
| ICN |
Instituto de Conservaçao da Natureza, Portugal |
| ICRI |
International Coral Reef Initiative |
| ICZM |
integrated coastal zone management |
| IMCG |
International Mire Conservation Group |
| IOPs |
International Organization Partners of the Convention |
| IPCC |
UN/WMO Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change |
| IPS |
International Peat Society |
| IUCN |
The World Conservation Union |
| IWRB |
International Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Bureau (now Wetlands International) |
| JLG |
Joint Liaison Group (of the Rio Conventions) |
| KIWC |
Kushiro International Wetlands Centre |
| MA |
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment |
| MAB |
UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme |
| MEA |
multilateral environment agreement |
| MR |
Montreux Record |
| NEPAD |
New Partnership for Africa's Development |
| NFPs |
National Focal Points (for CEPA and STRP) |
| NGO |
non-governmental organization |
| NRs |
National Reports prepared by Contracting Parties in advance of each Ramsar COP |
| NRC |
National Ramsar Committee / National Wetland Committee |
| NWPs |
National Wetland Policies (or Strategies or Plans, etc.) |
| OECD |
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development |
| RAM |
Ramsar Advisory Mission |
| RBI |
River Basin Initiative |
| RIS |
Information Sheet for Ramsar Wetlands |
| SBSTA |
UNFCCC's Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice |
| SBSTTA |
CBD's Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice |
| SC |
Ramsar Standing Committee |
| SC30 |
30th meeting of the Ramsar Standing Committee |
| SG |
Secretary General |
| SGF |
Ramsar Small Grants Fund |
| SPREP |
Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme |
| SRAs |
Ramsar "Senior Regional Advisors" for Africa, Asia/Pacific, Europe, and the Neotropics (based at the Ramsar Secretariat) |
| SSC |
IUCN Species Survival Commission |
| STRP |
Ramsar Scientific and Technical Review Panel |
| STRP6 |
6th meeting of the Scientific and Technical Review Panel |
| SWS |
Society of Wetland Scientists |
| TOR |
terms of reference |
| TSs |
technical sessions of the Ramsar COPs |
| UNCCD |
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification |
| UNCTAD |
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development |
| UNDP |
United Nations Development Programme |
| UNEP |
United Nations Environment Programme |
| UNESCO |
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization |
| UNFCCC |
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change |
| WCD |
World Commission on Dams |
| WCMC |
UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre |
| WCPA |
IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas |
| WFF |
Wetlands for the Future Fund |
| WLI |
Wetland Link International |
| WRI |
World Resources Institute |
| WSSD |
World Summit on Sustainable Development, 2002 |
| WWD |
World Wetlands Day (2 February) |
| WWF |
World Wide Fund for Nature |
| WWT |
Waterfowl and Wetlands Trust |
