The Eighth Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP8) to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands was held from 18-26 November 2002 in Valencia, Spain.

The theme of the Conference was “Wetlands: Water, Life, and Culture.”
More than 1000 officials representing 119 Contracting Parties, as well as a number of observer States, UN agencies and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, attended the session. In conducting their work, participants convened in plenary sessions, regional and contact groups, and several committees. They also met in five technical sessions on: major challenges and emerging opportunities for wetlands, water and sustainability; wetland inventory and assessment; the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance; management of wetlands for sustainable use and human well-being; and cultural aspects of wetlands as a tool for their conservation and sustainable use.
Delegates considered and adopted more than 40 resolutions addressing a broad range of policy, technical, programme and budgetary matters, including wetlands and agriculture, climate change, cultural issues, mangroves, water allocation and management, and the Report of the World Commission on Dams. They also approved the Convention’s budget and Work Plan for 2003-2005, and its Strategic Plan for 2003-2008. The Earth Negotiations Bulletin report outlining these discussions in details can be found at: http://enb.iisd.org/linkages/ramsar/cop8/