Celebrated annually on the 2nd of February, World Wetlands Day marks the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands in the Iranian city of Ramsar on 2 February 1971. This global event, first celebrated in 1997, is an opportunity to honor and advocate for the conservation of our planet’s wetland ecosystems. The theme for 2020 focused on ‘Wetlands and Biodiversity’.
Understanding Wetlands
Wetlands are ecosystems characterized by their saturation with water, either seasonally or throughout the year. These areas comprise of diverse ecosystems such as mangroves, marshes, rivers, lakes, deltas, floodplains, flooded forests, rice-fields, and coral reefs. Even human-manufactured landforms like wastewater treatment ponds and reservoirs fall under this classification. Although they occupy only an estimated 6% of the Earth’s land surface, wetlands are home or breeding grounds to 40% of all plant and animal species.
The Crucial Role of Wetlands
The importance of wetlands cannot be understated. They serve essential roles in our natural environment, mitigating floods, protecting coastlines, and building community resilience to disasters. By absorbing pollutants, they also play a vital part in maintaining water quality.
From an ecological standpoint, wetlands are critical to both human life and the broader health of our planet. Over 1 billion people rely on wetlands for their livelihood, and they provide a habitat for 40% of the world’s species. As sources of food, raw materials, genetic resources for medicines, and hydropower, they are integral to meeting various human needs. Notably, they also store 30% of land-based carbon in peatland, playing a pivotal role in climate regulation.
Threats to Wetlands
Despite their importance, wetlands are under severe threat. According to the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), they are disappearing three times faster than forests due to human activities and global warming. The endangerment of wetlands has potentially grave consequences for the 40% of the world’s flora and fauna that reside or breed in these ecosystems. Main threats include agriculture, development, pollution, and climate change.
About IPBES
Established in Panama City in April 2012, the IPBES is an independent intergovernmental body. Its primary function is to fortify the science-policy interface for biodiversity and ecosystem services, focusing on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, and promoting long-term human well-being and sustainable development.
Status of Wetlands in India
In India, a recent declaration by the Ramsar Convention recognized an additional 10 Indian wetlands as Ramsar sites, bringing the country’s total to 37. There are stringent guidelines for the protection of wetlands recognized as Ramsar sites.
While India boasts over 7 lakh wetlands, covering 4.5% of the country’s area, none have been notified under domestic laws. Regulation of these wetlands falls under the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017. These replaced the Central Wetland Regulatory Authority outlined in the 2010 version of the rules with state-level bodies, and established a National Wetland Committee in an advisory role. The new definition of “wetlands” now excludes backwaters, lagoons, creeks, and estuaries. As per the 2017 regulations, responsibility for identifying wetlands now falls to the States.
