Problems of Implementation of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in China

The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar Convention) was signed in February 1971 in Ramsar, Iran, and currently has 172 parties. China acceded to this Convention in 1992, became the 67th party, and was elected a member of the Standing Committee in 2005. Wetlands conservation in China has achieved some positive results, but it still faces serious challenges. China’s wetlands level is much lower than the world average (global wetlands level is 8.60%), and the wetlands area per capita is only 1/5 of the world average. Until 2022, China lacked legislation to protect wetlands; the article’s objective is to analyze the recently adopted Chinese legislation in this area. Ultimately, the authors conclude that it is necessary to strengthen legal standards in China to contribute to the conservation and restoration of global wetlands.