The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

The Convention on Wetlands is the intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.

Conservation and wise use of wetlands are vital for human life. The wide range of ecosystem services wetlands provide means they lie at the heart of sustainable development. Yet, policy makers, business leaders and consumers do not fully appreciate their benefits to nature and humankind and why they are our most valuable and important ecosystem. Jay will explain the many ways that wetlands contribute to our health, livelihoods and safety and how we can support their sustainable use.

Jay Aldous serves in the role of Deputy Secretary General for the Convention on Wetlands. Before joining the Secretariat he was a Division Director at the UN World Food Programme where he was responsible for partnerships and resource mobilization, and served as the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF where he oversaw all communications, marketing and fundraising for UNICEF in the United States. He brings to the Convention more than 30 years of experience in management, governance, resource mobilization, communications and working in various capacities with Member States. Jay holds a B.S. in Marketing and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Utah. He is an outdoor enthusiast and enjoys spending his free time in nature running, cycling and mountaineering.