The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

The Ramsar Library

Eventually -- EVENTUALLY! . . . A LONG TIME FROM NOW . . . (in another galaxy, far away) -- this page will index a collection of lots, and possibly all, of the publications of the Ramsar Convention, readable right here in HTML format. Each one will present its special problems for converting to HTML layout for this site, but we'll do the best we can with each one.

In some cases, the results will be Stupendous! In other cases, maybe not so good . . . so that's when readers will leap from their benches to ring up: The IUCN Publications Unit, 219c Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0DL, United Kingdom (Tel +44 1223 277894, Fax +44 1223 277175, e-mail: iucn-psu@wcmc.org.uk) and buy the hard copies in desperation. You can see the entire list of Ramsar printed publications now on offer from the IUCN-PSU on the publications page on this Web site. Note that, in many cases, depending on supply, readers from developing countries and countries with economies in transition can receive copies free of charge by contacting the Bureau directly.

To get this monumental project started properly, we'll begin with one of the easiest books to get Web-ready, the much appreciated Legal Development of the Ramsar Convention (1995), written by the world's leading legal authority on environmental conventions in general and Ramsar in particular, Cyril de Klemm. When we were laying this book out in the Bureau prior to publication, any number of people used to telephone begging for photocopies of what we'd got ready so far. The book was published in a 224-page A4 edition with English, French, and Spanish versions all in one volume, which never seemed to make sense to some of us, since very few readers would have any use for more than one of them, but there you are. We'll start with the English version first, and continue with the others over the next few weeks. Only the first few chapters are ready as of now.

Cyril de Klemm and Isabelle Créteaux, The Legal Development of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat (2 February 1971) (Ramsar, 1995).

For further information -- for suggestions about what books to put up here next -- please contact the Ramsar Convention Bureau, Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland (tel +41 22 999 0170, fax +41 22 999 0169, e-mail ramsar@hq.iucn.org). This index page begun 10 October 1997 and last updated . . . . about the same, Dwight Peck, Ramsar.