RAS question
Ramsar Convention's 'wise use' concept means:
Correct answer: (C) Sustainable utilization of wetlands for human benefit while maintaining their ecological character.
Under the Ramsar Convention, the wise use of wetlands means maintaining their ecological character while allowing sustainable use for human benefit.
Explanation
Ramsar's wise use idea is not a ban on using wetlands, and it is not a licence to drain or overexploit them. Under the wetland-wise-use framework, the Ramsar Convention defines wise use as maintaining a wetland's ecological character through ecosystem approaches within sustainable development. Option C is correct: wetlands may support human needs, but only in a way that keeps their ecological character intact. The exam point is that Ramsar balances conservation with human needs. For RAS, the key phrase to remember is ecological character plus sustainable use, because the Convention treats wetlands as living systems whose benefits depend on their continuing ecological functioning.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Wise use is not restricted to government use; the idea is about how wetlands are managed and used while maintaining ecological character.
- (B) Maximum economic exploitation contradicts Ramsar's requirement that use remain within sustainable development and protect ecological character.
- (D) No use at all is too absolute because wise use allows sustainable utilisation rather than treating wetlands as completely off-limits.
Concept
This tests the Ramsar Convention's core conservation principle: sustainable use with ecological-character maintenance. It recurs in RAS because wetlands questions often ask whether conservation means exclusion, exploitation, or a balanced sustainable-use approach.