The Convention’s Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP) was established through a decision of the Meeting of the Parties to provide scientific and technical advice to the Standing Committee and the Ramsar Bureau, and through them, to the Conference of the Contracting Parties.
Through a subsequent Meeting of the Parties decision, the composition and modus operandi of the STRP were modified so that the panel now comprises 13 experts from the six Ramsar regions designated by the COP. The experts provide advice in their personal capacity, not as representatives of their States or Governments. The STRP also has full member representatives of the Convention’s International Organisation partners, as well as observers from several expert bodies and other international environmental conventions.
The Meeting of the Parties invited all Contracting Parties to nominate a suitably qualified expert in each State to act as the Focal Point for STRP matters at the national level. Duties of the National Focal Point include:
- Providing input, and support as appropriate, to the implementation of the Work Plan of the STRP.
- Consulting with and seeking input from other experts and bodies in his/her State. The Focal Point is encouraged to use suitable national meetings, newsletters, and e-mail to canvas the views of the expert community, and, when feasible, to organise expert consultations on key issues in the STRP Work Plan.
- Maintaining regular contact, identifying, and undertaking activities of common interest with National Focal Points of the technical and scientific bodies of other relevant conventions.
- Being involved in the monitoring and evaluation of projects funded under the Ramsar Convention.
- Providing advice to, and participating in, meetings of the National Wetland/Ramsar Committee or similar bodies where they exist, and providing advice in the preparation of National Reports.
- Assisting in disseminating information on the work of the STRP in their countries.
The National Focal Points should take an active role in supporting national wetland inventory activities and in supporting the efforts of his/her Contracting Party to implement the Strategic Framework and Guidelines for the Future Development of the List of Wetlands of International Importance.