As a coordinator of the Danube WILDisland Ramsar Regional Initiative, DANUBEPARKS participated in the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Wetlands, held in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Under the theme “Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future,”
CoP15 brought together 135 country delegations, 13 international organizations, and over 90 observer institutions. The conference focused on reversing the global decline of wetlands through stronger international cooperation, better conservation tools, and improved financing. Key outcomes relevant to our work included:
- The adoption of the Strategic Plan 2025–2034
- Specific committments to protect freshwater habitats, improve ecological connectivity and protect emblematic freshwater species;
- Provisions to update Ramsar site information (RIS) and strengthen monitoring, including of sites under pressure — such as Donau-Auen National Park, currently listed on the Ramsar “Montreux Record” (the so-called “Black List”).
We are thrilled to share that during COP15, our initiative was officially endorsed as one of the 22 global Ramsar Regional Initiatives for the 2026–2028 period. This recognition was marked by the presentation of a Certificate from the Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands.
As one of the youngest officially recognized Ramsar Regional Initiatives worldwide, the Danube WILDisland RRI is a model for international cooperation. Formally hosted by ICPDR and coordinated by DANUBEPARKS, a network of 20 protected areas in 9 Danube countries, the Initiative is supported by 10 national governments and financially backed by the Core budget of the Convention on Wetlands and German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) through the EURENI programme.
During the CoP15 DANUBEPARKS team also took part in several other high-level meetings:
- A closed coordination session with the Ramsar Secretariat to discuss our joint cooperation and internal communication;
- The first Steering Group meeting of the Danube WILDisland RRI; where we presented our current achievements, expenditure and future plans to our Member States present on site;
- A joint session with other Ramsar Regional Initiatives (RRIs) to present and promote our work within the Ramsar family of RRIs;
The Danube WILDisland RRI paves the way for cross-sector partnerships, coordinated restoration of river islands and floodplains, and a stronger, shared commitment to safeguarding the Danube as a thriving natural corridor.
Participation in CoP15 brought the Danube’s restoration success stories to the global spotlight, reinforcing our joint dedication to protecting wetlands of international importance along the Danube and beyond!