The review process should cover statutory, customary and case law applicable to wetland
conservation and wise use and sectoral activities which directly or indirectly impact on wetlands.
It should also take account of the practical effects of such law. By way of example, natural resource
legislation often gives a public authority general powers to issue permits or give financial
assistance to certain activities or projects which may be benign (e.g., incentives for environmentally
sensitive agriculture) or potentially harmful (e.g., wetland drainage, watershed deforestation).
The compatibility of such legislation with the wise use obligation will depend on the permits
actually granted, any use of mitigation/compensation conditions and the use of monitoring and
enforcement procedures by administrative authorities.