The Ramsar Convention in the face of climate change: just how safe is the Coorong and Lakes Alexandrina and Albert Ramsar Wetland?

The CLLMM region was designated a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention in 1985, obligating the Australian Government to maintain its ecological character. The ecological character has been tested over time (including during the millennium drought) and will be further threatened by climate change.

This law honours project examined and evaluated the role that the Ramsar Convention plays in the management of the CLLMM region in light of climate change impacts and threats. The project analysed the text of the Ramsar Convention itself, the processes involved in the listing of the CLLMM and the related ecological character descriptions, compliance and enforcement under the Ramsar Convention’s Montreux Record processes, compliance and enforcement processes under similar international environmental regimes, the role of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act in relation to Ramsar sites; and state and national legislation and policies and management plans for the CLLMM.

These outcomes emphasise the strengths and weaknesses of the Ramsar Convention and options for reform in light of the need to mitigate climate change impacts across the region.