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WCC 2016 Res 026 - Progress Report

General information
Conservation of intertidal habitats and migratory waterbirds of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, especially the Yellow Sea, in a global context
Period covered: 
2018
IUCN Constituencies implementing this Resolution
IUCN Members: 
Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water ( DCCEEW ) / Australia
Biodiversity And Nature Conservation Association ( BANCA ) / Myanmar
Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region ( AFCD ) / China
Ministry of Natural Resources of China ( MNR ) / China
Shan Shui Conservation Center ( Shan Shui ) / China
Society of Entrepreneurs & Ecology ( SEE ) / China
China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation ( CBCGDF ) / China
China Mangrove Conservation Network (legal name: Putian Green Sprout Coastal Wetlands Research Center) ( CMCN/PGSCWRC ) / China
Eco Foundation Global ( EFG ) / China
Wild Bird Society of Japan ( WBSJ ) / Japan
Ministry of the Environment, Japan ( MOE ) / Japan
B4379780-CED7-E611-B6EC-005056BA6623
Ministry of Environment, Republic of Korea / Korea (RK)
Cultural Heritage Administration ( CHA ) / Korea (RK)
World Heritage Promotion Team of Korean Tidal Flats / Korea (RK)
Wetlands International / The Netherlands
Department of Conservation / New Zealand
BirdLife International / United Kingdom
Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust ( WWT ) / United Kingdom
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds ( RSPB ) / United Kingdom
US Department of the Interior (National Park Service) / United States of America
Wildlife Conservation Society ( WCS ) / United States of America
International Crane Foundation, Inc. ( ICF ) / United States of America
IUCN Commissions: 
F517E09E-5094-E611-97F4-005056BA6623
F717E09E-5094-E611-97F4-005056BA6623
FB17E09E-5094-E611-97F4-005056BA6623
IUCN Secretariat: 
Yes
Other non-IUCN related organisations: 
Ramsar Regional Center for East Asia, Beijing Forestry University, Ramsar Convention Secretariat ; Hanns Seidel Foundation
Implementation
Indicate which actions have been carried out to implement this Resolution : 
Capacity-building
Convene stakeholders/Networking
Education/Communication/Raising awareness
Field activities
Policy influencing/advocacy
Scientific/technical activities
Describe the results/achievements of the actions taken: 
In 2018 significant milestones were achieved by IUCN members, secretariat and partners regarding the implementation of Resolution 26:
- DPRK became a Contracting Party of the Ramsar Convention and of the East Asian - Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP), a Ramsar regional initiative with the support of EAAFP, Hanns Seidel Foundation and IUCN. The three Yellow Sea countries are now IUCN members, Ramsar contracting parties and EAAFP members enabling a regional and global framework for action on this shared ecosystem;
- The Chinese Government recently passed a State Council circular ensuring a strict protection of intertidal wetlands on the coast of the Yellow and Bohai sea, which may well be the strongest national commitment to coastal wetland conservation that the world has ever known;
- The Mundok Migratory Bird Reserve in DPRK was designated as a Ramsar site and the Tiaozini mudflats in China, the most important site for Spoon-billed Sandpiper in the world were designated as a protected area, strengthening the regional network of protected areas on the Yellow Sea;
- The World Heritage nomination process has progressed with the submission of a Chinese proposal for the designation of a series of mudflats on the Yellow Sea coast. The submission from RoK on a similar proposal, targeting a series of mudflats areas was prepared and submitted to UNESCO early 2019;
- A regional inter-governmental working group facilitated by IUCN and EAAFP was officialised to facilitate international cooperation for improved conservation and sustainable use of the Yellow/West Sea intertidal and associated coastal Wetlands and the development of its joint workplan was initiated;
- The Yancheng Institute, created in 2017 to act as a research hub on Yellow Sea intertidal wetlands and associated water birds was strengthened through a number of MoUs with international organisations and the development of its programme of work;
- An agreement on a China coastal wetlands conservation alliance was made, to coordinate the efforts of all sites in the serial World Heritage nomination (and potentially beyond, including in the other Yellow Sea countries) to complete nomination and implement effective management plans;
- A new Ramsar resolution on promoting the conservation and wise-use of intertidal wetlands and ecologically-associated habitats was adopted at Ramsar COP 13 in October in Dubai.
What challenges/obstacles have been encountered in the implementation of this Resolution and how were they overcome : 
- Inter-Ministerial coordination remains an issue as there are various ministries involved in Yellow/West and Bohai seas matters (linked to Ramsar, coastal management, fisheries, and biodiversity). It requires important efforts of coordination at national level to ensure relevant and meaningful participation from countries.
- Regional World Heritage related dialogues are still sensitive as countries have concerns about going for a joint nomination at this moment in time. IUCN and partners focused on providing information, case studies and dialogue platforms to improve understanding of countries on WH without aiming for any agenda.
- Due to its global importance the Yellow/West sea region attracts a number of international and national organisations, leading to a risk of overlap. Coordination between initiatives was ensured through the development of organising committees for events, facilitated by IUCN and regular coordination calls involving EAAFP, RRC-EA, WI, Birdlife International and other partners. The large GEF funded Yellow Sea was approached to initiate the development of a partnership in 2019 and beyond.
- As the programme is growing and gaining momentum there is an urgent need to ensure and secure funding for the implementation of Resolution 26. There is a need for IUCN council/secretariat to prioritize this programme and ensure its functioning.
- A number of organisations are now actively working on the Yellow Sea intertidal wetlands conservation, multiplying actions and positive impacts. This network will need close coordination to ensure synergies and avoid overlaps. IUCN secretariat and EAAFP will need to ensure close coordination with all stakeholders.
Briefly describe what future actions are needed for the implementation of this Resolution: 
Several actions have been planned for 2019 including :
- Training of Yellow Sea wetlands managers organised by EAAFP and IUCN;
- 2019 International Symposium on the Coastal Wetlands of Yellow (Bohai) Sea Yancheng
- IUCN is organizing the Second Meeting of the Working Group on the Conservation of the Yellow/West Sea Intertidal and Associated Coastal Wetlands, to be held in Beijing, China from the 5th to the 7th of March 2019
- Meeting of China coastal wetlands conservation alliance
Are these actions planned for yet: 
Yes
Status of implementation
Status of implementation for this Resolution: 
On-going: implementation consisting of repetitive, recurrent action (attending meetings, reporting, etc.)
Additional information
Upload document: 
PDF icon Terms of Reference for West Yellow Sea Coastal Working Group 3 - draft 19 jan-.pdf
External link(s): 
Regional Dialogue on the Conservation Management of the Intertidal Wetlands of the Yellow and Bohai Seas
THE YANCHENG SYMPOSIUM 2017
Executive Summary for 2018 International Symposium on the Coastal Wetlands of Yellow (Bohai) Sea Yancheng