The signature on Agreement between the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the Ramsar Convention Secretariat regarding cooperation on global wetlands survey by use of Daichi satellite images
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
Ramsar Convention Secretariat
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the Ramsar Convention Secretariat (Ramsar Secretariat) has agreed to cooperate on global survey of the Wetlands of International Importance through the use of Japanese ALOS ("Daichi") satellite images.
On October 18, 2010, Dr. Tachikawa. JAXA President, and Prof. Davidson, Deputy Secretary General of Ramsar Secretariat, attended the side event of the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 10), entitled "The role of the Ramsar Convention in the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity", hosted by Ministry of Environment (MoE), Ramsar Secretariat and Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. During the side event they signed on the Agreement with the attendance of Mr. Hiroyuki Tani, head of the secretariat of parliamentary group on Ramsar wetlands.
JAXA has ever provided "Daichi" images on trial to the Ramsar Secretariat to support the wetlands survey. Upon the conclusion of this agreement, JAXA will enhance these cooperation, and provide officially "Daichi" images of Wetlands of International Importance to the Secretariat, based on the coordination what kind of images to provide. Besides, JAXA will publish the database of "Daichi" images.
Ramsar Secretariat will apply ALOS satellite images in wetland inventory, assessment and conservation, for the wise use of wetlands.
(C)JAXA
(From left: Prof. Davidson, Deputy Secretary General of Ramsar Secretariat;
Mr. Hiroyuki Tani, member of the House of Councilors;
and Dr. Tachikawa, JAXA president)
(Reference)
* The Ramsar Convention (The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl Habitat)
This convention is an international treaty adopted at the "International Conference on the Conservation of Wetlands and Waterfowl" on February 2, 1971, in Ramsar, Iran, with the aim of promoting maintenance and wise use of Wetlands of International Importance, especially waterfowl habitats, and fauna and flora which inhabit and grow there. (The Ramsar Convention came into effect on December 21, 1975. As of April 2009, the number of member countries is 159.)
* Wetlands of International Importance
According to the Ramsar Convention, each member country nominates wetlands that seem to be important internationally within its territory, and those wetlands are registered and listed as "Wetlands of International Importance." As of April 2009, the number of registered wetlands is 1,838 (of which 37 are in Japan.) The total area of the registered wetlands is 173,359,584 hectares.
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