World Wetlands Day is a celebration that takes place every year on the 2nd of February. It commemorates the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands which happened on the same day in 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar. This year, the theme was ‘Wetlands and climate change’.
Understanding Wetlands
Wetlands are ecosystems saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally. They encompass various bodies of water such as mangroves, marshes, rivers, lakes, deltas, floodplains, flooded forests, rice-fields, and even coral reefs. Known to be among the world’s most prolific environments, they are indispensable for human survival. These biodiversity hotspots provide water and productivity upon which innumerable species of plants and animals depend on for their survival.
The Significance of Wetlands
Wetlands form an essential connection between land and water making them a crucial part of our natural environment. They have several key roles: mitigating floods, protecting coastlines, absorbing pollutants, improving water quality, and building community resilience to disasters. Furthermore, wetlands serve as habitats for animals and plants, including species found nowhere else. They offer important benefits for industry, serving as nurseries for fish and other freshwater and marine life, making them essential to commercial and recreational fishing industries.
Wetlands and Human Society
Wetlands are more than just water bodies; they play a significant role in human society. More than one billion people depend on wetlands for their livelihood, and 40% of the world’s species live and breed in them. They are a vital source for food, raw materials, genetic resources for medicines, and hydropower. Wetlands also play an essential part in transport, tourism, and the cultural and spiritual well-being of people.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Number of Wetlands of International importance in India | 26 |
| Wetlands lost between 1970-2015 | Approximately 35% |
| Ramsar Convention adoption year | 1971 |
Threats to Wetlands
Despite the apparent importance and benefits of wetlands, they face significant threats. They are often undervalued because they are seen as more valuable for their water and undeveloped land than the ecosystem services they provide. They are often drained to make room for agriculture or human settlements, risking their very existence. Another major threat is pollution. Fertilizers and pesticides from agricultural runoff and mercury from industrial sources put their ability to act as natural water filters at risk. Climate change also poses a significant threat, with rising sea levels swamping shallow wetlands and severe droughts destroying estuaries, floodplains, and marshes.
‘Wise Use’ of Wetlands and Ramsar Convention
According to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, maintaining the ecological character of the wetlands through the implementation of ecosystem approaches falls under the umbrella of ‘Wise Use’. The guidelines encourage parties to adopt national wetland policies, develop programmes of wetland inventory, monitoring, research, training, education, and public awareness. It also encourages actions involving the development of integrated management plans covering every aspect of the wetlands and their relationships with their catchments.
The Montreux Record
The Montreux Record under the Ramsar Convention is a register of wetland sites of international importance where changes in ecological character have occurred or are likely to occur as a result of human interference. Two Indian wetlands, Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan) and Loktak Lake (Manipur), are currently on this record.