If a wetland of international importance is brought under the ‘Montreux Record’, what does it imply?

Answer: (a) Changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring or are likely to occur in the wetland as a result of human interference.

The Montreux Record is the Ramsar Convention’s list of sites where the ecological character has changed, is changing or is likely to change because of human activity. It flags them for priority action.

The idea

When a country lists a wetland under Ramsar it promises to maintain its ecological character. If that character is changing, the country reports it. The Montreux Record is the register of such sites. It is a call for attention and help, not a punishment, and a site goes on it at the request of its own country.

Wetland is a Ramsar site → Pollution, siltation or development changes it → Country asks to place it on the Montreux Record → Ramsar experts advise → Site recovers → removed from the record

Why the others are wrong

(b) Ramsar sets no 5 km no-activity rule. It works on “wise use”, not bans.

(c) That describes the cultural value of wetlands, not the Montreux Record.

(d) World Heritage status comes from UNESCO’s World Heritage Convention, a different treaty.

The trap

Option (b) sounds like strong conservation, but Ramsar never bans all activity. Its approach is “wise use”.

Also know

The record is named after Montreux, the Swiss town where the Ramsar parties set it up in 1990. Chilika Lake (Odisha) went on it in 1993. In 2002 it became the first Asian site to be removed, after its mouth was re-opened and the lake recovered, and it won the Ramsar Wetland Conservation Award that year.