Wetlands

 

WHAT ARE WETLANDS? 

World Wetlands Day on the 2nd of  February recognised by united nations general assembly. 

THE CONVENTION ON WETLANDS

Adopted in Ramsar, Iran in 1971, the Convention on Wetlands is the only global treaty to focus on a single ecosystem. Its 171 Contracting Parties commit to: 

•  Designate wetlands of high value on the list of Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites), and  
• Use all wetlands wisely and cooperate on transboundary issues. 
• Today there are 2,400 designated Ramsar Sites, covering a total surface area of  over 250 million hectares (an area slightly larger than Algeria). 
• The network of Ramsar Sites includes coastal and inland wetlands of  all types. 
• The Convention on Wetlands is working to reverse wetland loss and degradation around the world. 
• The Convention supports sustainable development, disaster resilience, and climate action, contributing to 16 different Sustainable Development Goals.

According to Ramsar Convention:

Wetlands are a major, planet-wide habitat that make life on Earth possible. Article 1.1 of the Convention on Wetlands defines wetlands as: “areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres.” They are ecosystems where water is the primary factor controlling the environment and the associated plant and animal life. 

This encompasses all inland wetlands, such as marshes, ponds, lakes, fens, rivers, floodplains, and swamps; a range of coastal wetlands, including saltwater marshes, estuaries, mangroves, lagoons, and coral reefs; and human-made wetlands like fishponds, rice paddies, and salt pans.

Global inland and coastal wetlands cover over 12.1 million km2, an area larger than Canada.

1) WHY THE WATER IN OUR WETLANDS MATTERS?

Our ‘blue’ planet may seem awash with water, but only 2.5% of that water is fresh water and most of it is stored in glaciers, snow caps or underground aquifers. Less than 1% of Earth’s fresh water is usable and most of that is contained in wetlands, including about a third in rivers and lakes.The water in our wetlands is one of our most vital natural resources. Wetlands sustain humanity and nature through multiple services, including: 

•  Capturing and storing rainwater and replenishing groundwater aquifers

 •  Regulating water quantity and supply by releasing water at the right time to the right place in the right amounts 

•  Improving water quality and providing safe drinking water by naturally removing, filtering and absorbing pollutants 

•  Keeping us fed by supporting aquaculture, inland fisheries, rice paddies, and other food production

 •  Supporting social and economic development by providing livelihoods for a billion people

•  Protecting communities by absorbing storm surges and floodwater 

•  Providing a home for the 40% of the world’s species that live and breed in wetlands. Wetlands are essential for achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including Sustainable Development Goal 6 to ensure the availability and sustainable management of safe water and sanitation for all.

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES?

A growing water crisis is threatening both people and our planet. We are simultaneously using more water than nature can replenish and destroying the ecosystems that all life depends on most – wetlands. 

Unsustainable water use 

We have a finite amount of  fresh water and our current use is unsustainable. Population growth, intensive agriculture, urbanization, and changing consumption patterns are putting unbearable pressure on our water supplies and the wetlands that contain them. 

• Water use has increased sixfold over the past century, rising to 10 billion tons of water every day. 
• And yet, 2.2 billion people still do not have access to safely managed drinking water, and 4.2 billion people – over half  the world’s population – are without adequate sanitation. 
• Chronic mismanagement means that global freshwater sources are compromised, exposing 82% of the world’s population to high levels of  pollution in their water supply.
•  Agriculture, the sector responsible for 70% of  our water use, is the source of  much of  this pollution.

•  By 2025, it is estimated that 35% of  people will face declining water supplies. The water insecurity already blighting hundreds of millions of  lives impacts health, nutrition, education and livelihoods, and was a key factor in conflicts in at least 45 countries in 2017. 
• Without major transformations in our water use and management, the water crisis is set to intensify: by 2050, we will need 14% more water to produce 70% more food for 10 billion people. 
• Wetland loss and pollution is intensifying the water crisis and threatening all life.
• Nearly 90% of the world’s wetlands have been lost since the 1700s.
• And 35% have disappeared since the 1970s, and those that remain are disappearing three times faster than forests. 
• A quarter of  all wetland species and 1 in 3 freshwater species face extinction.
• There  are multiple  causes  of  wetland loss but they all have one thing in common – us!
•  Intensive water infrastructure development
• drainage and infilling for agriculture and construction
• pollution and waste 
• overexploitation of  resources
• and invasive species are all contributing to the destruction and deterioration of  the world’s precious wetlands and the species that depend on them. 
• Climate change is making the wetland and water crisis even worse. Scientists forecast that there will be significantly less renewable surface and groundwater in already dry regions by 2050. At the same time, new regions will become water stressed, increasing water competition between people and ecosystems.

WHAT CAN WE DO? 

• Urgent action is required at every level to protect wetlands and address the water crisis. We could have enough water for nature and humanity if  we better manage and value wetlands and water – and treat both as a collective responsibility. 
• Conserving wetlands and using them wisely is essential if  we are to achieve the water sustainability needed for people and biodiversity to thrive. 
• Stop destroying, start restoring. The protection, restoration and wise use of wetlands would sustainably support increased demands for water.
• Don’t dam, divert or drain wetlands. Instead, address pollution, clean up freshwater sources, and use them efficiently.
• Integrated Water Resources Management: By coordinating water, land and resources we can deliver maximum social and economic welfare fairly without compromising the sustainability of ecosystems. Policy makers should integrate water and wetlands into development plans and resource management locally, nationally and internationally.
• Increase efficiency and investment. The agriculture sector can both produce more food and be better wetland/water stewards, including by taking action to cut food waste from farm to fork.
• Industry also has opportunities to reduce water use by up to 50%. 
• To accelerate action to protect the world’s wetlands, governments, the private sector and communities need to increase investment in wetlands as nature-based solutions for water resource management. 
• Get involved everyone depends on wetlands and everyone can play a part in safeguarding them. 
• At a local level, you can find out where your closest wetlands are, what challenges they face, and how you can help protect them. 

2) WETLANDS AND LIVELIHOODS

Wetlands provide more than a billion livelihoods across the world in an array of activities that also deliver food, water supplies, transport, and leisure. But ongoing wetland loss is driving a vicious cycle of declining biodiversity and deepening poverty.  Action is needed to shift to a virtuous cycle of sustainability that creates opportunities for people to make a living while protecting wetlands and their multiple benefits for humanity and nature.

WHY WETLAND LIVELIHOODS MATTER?

Wetlands are essential for human health and prosperity. They provide us with fresh water, supply our food, sustain biodiversity, protect against f looding, and store carbon dioxide. As a major source of  employment globally, they are also ideally placed to deliver truly sustainable livelihoods, allowing people to earn a living without undermining their natural resource base. More than a billion people across the world depend on wetlands for their livelihoods – that’s about one in eight people on Earth. Wetlands host a diverse range of  jobs that support entire communities. •    Rice farming:  Rice, grown in wetland paddies, is the staple diet of 3.5 billion people and accounts for 20% of all calories consumed by humans.  Almost a billion  households  in Asia, Africa and the  Americas depend on rice growing and processing for their main livelihoods.  About 80% of the world’s rice is produced by smallscale farmers and is consumed locally. • Fishing:  Most commercial fish species breed and raise their young in coastal marshes and estuaries. In addition, more than 40% of fish production is now through aquaculture. The average person consumes 19kg of fish every year. More than 660 million people depend on fishing and aquaculture for a living. •    Tourism and leisure:  An  estimated half of international tourists seek relaxation in wetland areas, especially coastal zones. The travel and tourism sectors support 266 million jobs, accounting for 8.9% of the world’s total employment. • Transport:  Rivers and inland waterways play a vital role in transporting goods and people in many parts of the world. In the Amazon basin, rivers carry 12 million passengers and 50 million tons of freight each year, sustaining 41 shipping companies and thousands of workers. •    Water provision:  Vast networks deliver fresh water and remove and treat wastewater, while employing large workforces. For example, Bangkok’s Metropolitan Waterworks  Authority employs over 5,300 staff. •    Traditional wetland livelihoods: Medicinal plants, dyes, fruits, reeds,  and grasses are just a few of the wetland products that provide jobs in harvesting and processing, especially in developing countries. For example, the reeds and papyrus collected from the Barotse f loodplain wetlands in Zambia are estimated to be worth US$373,000 per year to local communities.

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES?

Despite the millions of jobs and other vital benefits that they provide, 64% of the world’s wetlands have disappeared since 1900, while populations of freshwater species declined by 76% between 1970 and 2010. The wetlands that remain are often so degraded that many people who rely directly on their fish, plants, wildlife and water for their livelihoods – often the very poor – are being driven into even deeper poverty. To make matters worse, by 2025, it is estimated that 35% of people will face declining water supplies.This vicious cycle of wetland loss, threatened livelihoods, and deepening poverty is the result of a point of view that mistakenly sees wetlands as wastelands rather than lifegiving sources of jobs, incomes, and essential ecosystem services. A key challenge is to change mindsets to encourage governments and communities to value and prioritize wetlands.

WHAT CAN WE DO? 

Enabling people to earn a decent, sustainable living and ensuring that wetlands can continue to provide drinking water, biodiversity, food and their many other benefits, do not have to be conflicting goals. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals underline that reducing poverty demands that we also protect and restore ecosystems such as wetlands.The solution demands a shift from the vicious cycle of disappearing wetlands and diminishing livelihoods to a virtuous cycle of sustainability that balances economic development, social development, and environmental protection to benefit both human life and wetland biodiversity.Three key ingredients can create the right conditions to promote sustainable wetland livelihoods.1.  Using a people-centred approach to understand needs. This involves assessing how vulnerable people are to shocks, natural disasters and civil strife, and how to reduce that vulnerability; understanding how important seasonal prices and employment opportunities are, and exploring other options; and taking an inventory of the potential resources available.2.  Making multiple types of ‘capital’ available: This includes: actual products harvested from wetlands such as reeds, fish or rice; training, skills and knowledge needed to pursue opportunities and understand trade-offs; good health to allow people to earn a living; a voice in planning how local wetlands should be used; basic infrastructure, equipment and tools; and access to credit, cash or micro-loans.3.  Identifying who can provide the different kinds of ‘capital’. Developing sustainable livelihoods in wetlands involves integrating the engagement of key actors, including governments, institutions, NGOs and local communities, determining who will take on what role, and helping them to make the necessary changes happen.Establishing these conditions in a wetland region can provide the set of capabilities, activities and resources that are required for people to make a sustainable living, while protecting wetland ecosystems and the many services they deliver. 

WETLANDS AND DISASTER RISK REDUCTION

Wetlands protect us from extreme weather events. They provide a buffer against the impacts of floods, droughts, hurricanes and tsunamis, and build resilience to climate change. Well-managed wetlands can also help communities recover from disasters and “build back better”. With climate- and weather-related hazards becoming more frequent, wetlands are vital for reducing the human and economic devastation they cause.

WHY DISASTER RISK REDUCTION BY WETLANDS MATTERS

Wetlands are a natural safeguard against disasters. They can reduce the human, economic and environmental losses and disruption suffered by a community or nation when an extreme weather event strikes and make recovery faster. Different types of  wetlands act in different ways before, during and after disasters to help lessen their impact and enable communities to bounce back. Coastal wetlands reduce the impacts of extreme weather Coastal wetlands such as salt marshes, mangroves, seagrass beds, and coral reefs act like shock absorbers. By reducing the intensity of  waves, absorbing storm surges, and buffering tsunamis, these ecosystems help shield the 60% of humanity that lives and works along coastlines from flooding, property damage, land erosion, and loss of life. Coral reefs act as offshore wave barriers, providing protection from extreme events worth up to US$33,556 per hectare of  reef  every year. Studies show that a healthy coral reef  can provide communities twice as much protection from natural hazards like tsunamis compared to a dead coral reef. Mangroves bind the shoreline together with their roots. Each kilometre of  mangrove forest can reduce a storm surge by 50cm, blunting the impact of  hurricanes and tsunamis. Every hectare of mangrove and coastal marsh is worth up to US$15,161 a year in disaster-related services. For example, in the U.S.A., coastal wetlands helped avoid over US$625 million in damages from Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Inland  wetlands  reduce  floods  and relieve droughts Inland wetlands such as floodplains, rivers, lakes and swamps act as sponges, absorbing and storing excess rainfall and reducing flood surges. In arid climates, wetlands release stored water during dry seasons, delaying the onset of droughts and minimizing water shortages. Rivers meander to create wide,   silted floodplains. If  left intact, with their related inland lakes and swamps, these floodplains act as a giant reservoir. During sudden f loods, they can spread and store f lood water over a wide area, reducing damage downstream.   

Wetlands help before, during and after disasters Before a disaster, 

wetlands can help people to prevent and prepare for impacts, if  steps are taken in advance to study the risks and designate storm- and flood-prone areas as protected wetlands. For example, the estuaries, lakes and marshes in Senegal’s Saloum Delta Biosphere Reserve help control f looding and ensure that humans, animals and plants have fresh water throughout the year. During a disaster, wetlands can absorb the worst of  the shock. For example, in the Sri Lankan town of Hikkaduwa, where coral reefs were protected, damage during the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami extended just 50m inland, whereas in nearby Peraliya, where coral mining had degraded the reefs, damage reached 1.5km inland. 

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES?

The frequency of  disasters worldwide has more than doubled in just 35 years, driven by climate- and weatherrelated hazards like flooding, tropical cyclones, and droughts. UN Water estimates that 90% of  natural hazards are water related and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts even more extreme events in the future. wetlands diminishes their ability to reduce disaster risk in multiple ways, for example: 

•  Canalizing rivers and limiting drainage  reduces their natural floodplain sponge effect and makes flood surges more powerful The human toll is staggering: 1.35 million people   died as a result of  disasters between 1996 and 2015,   with low- and middle-income countries accounting for   90% of  fatalities. In material terms, weather-related disasters caused US$3.3 trillion in damage between   1980 and 2014. We need healthy wetlands more than ever, yet these ecosystems are being destroyed at an alarming rate around the world. At least 64% of  wetlands have disappeared since 1900, and 35% have been lost since the 1970s. Those that remain are vanishing three times faster than forests. 
• Destroying and mismanaging  
• Clearing mangroves  to create shrimp fisheries and salt pans removes the natural coastline buffer and reduces carbon storage 
•  Mining coral reefs  can leave the shoreline exposed to stronger than normal waves 
•  Draining wetlands  for agriculture and development removes their function as a natural sponge against f looding. One of  the drivers of  wetland loss is the fact that the general public are largely unaware of  how wetlands protect us. 
• People often see wetlands as nothing more than wastelands to be filled in or converted to other uses. Changing this mindset is one of  the biggest challenges.

What can we do?

There are many ways that we can help wetlands to help us reduce   the risk of  disasters caused by natural hazards and everyone has   a role to play. Policy-makers Governments should include wetlands in their strategies for coping with disasters.

• Possible measures include: 
• designating wetlands in flood- and storm-prone zones as protected areas; restoring degraded wetlands that act as protective barriers; working with local stakeholders and civil society to promote sustainable agriculture, f isheries and tourism; adopting cross sectoral policies to help protect wetlands, especially in agriculture and water; and investing in disaster risk reduction. 
• Governments should also meet their commitments to the Convention on Wetlands, the Sustainable Development Goals, and the four priorities of  the 2015-2030 Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk  Reduction.  Communities Local communities should investigate how the wetlands in their Convention on Wetlands  area are being used or overused, who depends on them, and how they protect the area during extreme events. 
• Practices and measures to ensure the long-term sustainability of  the local wetlands for everyone could include: controlling illegal fishing and dumping; agreeing no-take rules; setting fishing catch limits; clearing rubbish from wetlands; and unblocking streams and rivers. 
• Individuals Each person can make a difference. Individual actions could include: 
• organizing or joining a wetland   clean-up; 
• using water more sparingly and avoiding toxic products that   drain into wetlands; 
• participating in local activities to conserve and restore wetlands; 
• and becoming a wetland ambassador to advocate for their protection.

 WETLANDS AND BIODIVERSITY

Life thrives in wetlands. These incredible ecosystems support a tapestry of biodiversity upon which we all depend. Wetlands biodiversity provides food, clean water and jobs, while protecting communities from floods and storms and even mitigating the impacts of climate change. But, despite these benefits, humanity is destroying wetlands at an alarming rate and 25% of wetland species are today threatened with extinction. Urgent action is needed to halt and reverse wetlands biodiversity loss as part of humanity’s response to the global nature crisis.

WHY WETLANDS BIODIVERSITY MATTERS

Wetlands are rich reservoirs of biodiversity that are vital for humanity and nature to thrive. About 40% of the world’s plant and animal species depend on wetlands, including 30% of all known fish species. Over 100,000 freshwater species have been identified in wetlands so far, with 200 new ones discovered annually. Wetlands are home to many threatened amphibians and reptiles, host migratory and resident water birds, and nurture thousands of plant species. Coastal wetlands, like mangroves and coral reefs, are among the most biologically diverse places on Earth, while many endemic species are only found in a specific wetland area.It is impossible to exaggerate how important wetland biodiversity is for both the healthy functioning of our planet and sustainable human development.    

For example: 

• Swamp vegetation filters pollutants, making water potable.
• Wetlands provide livelihoods for one billion people and help feed the world
• Peatlands store 30% of all land-based carbon, helping to mitigate the impacts of climate change
• Lakes and rivers supply food and medicine
• Mangroves and coral reefs protect coastal comm-unities during storm surges, hurricanes and tsunamis
• Wetlands provide ecosystem services worth US$47 trillion annually, more than those from forests, deserts or grasslands.

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES?

Humans are destroying wetlands. About 35% of  the world’s wetlands have disappeared since the 1970s; 87% have been lost since the 1700s. The wetlands that remain are vanishing three times faster than forests. There are multiple drivers of  wetland loss, including widespread drainage and infilling for agriculture and construction, pollution, overexploitation of  resources (e.g. overfishing), invasive species and climate change. 

WHAT CAN WE DO? 

As a direct result of  alarming rates of  wetland destruction, biodiversity is in steep decline. 

•  Between 1970 and 2014, populations of fish, birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles decreased by 60%.     
• Since 1970, 81% of inland wetland species and 36% of coastal and marine species have declined. 
• 25% of wetland species  are threatened with extinction, including water birds, freshwater dependent mammals, marine turtles, and coral reef- building species. 
• Wetland biodiversity loss is a major component of  the global nature emergency engulfing our planet. Today, species are declining faster than at any time in human history and the pace is accelerating, with wetland species declining most. One million animal and plant species are threatened with extinction and climate change is making it worse. 
• Biodiversity loss denotes the unprecedented disappearance, degradation and unsustainable use of the ecosystems which humanity – and all other living things – depend on to survive and thrive. 
• Citizens, NGOs, and governments are working to reverse the current destructive trends – but we are not doing nearly enough.

WHAT CAN WE DO?

The scale of  the global nature crisis demands an ambitious global roadmap for biodiversity to provide the impetus for new thinking and unprecedented action. In particular, governments and other stakeholders must acknowledge wetlands’ critical role for biodiversity and the solutions they provide on climate change and sustainable development. It is time to fulfil longstanding commitments to stop the loss of  the world’s wetlands and the biodiversity they host, including the pledge made under Sustainable Development Goal 15, to halt and reverse land degradation and stop biodiversity loss. 

To achieve this, we must: 

•  Restore, conserve and promote  the wise use of all wetlands. 
• Stop draining, building over and degrading wetlands .
• Assess the real value  of wetlands,raise awareness and educate  people about the benefits of wetlands and the threats they face. 
• This is a collective, global responsibility and everyone can play a part. 
• Find out more about the wetlands near where you live and get involved. 
• Join or set up a project or campaign aimed at raising awareness about the importance of  wetlands biodiversity. 
• Ensure that your local and national representatives are prioritizing wetlands protection and restoration in their planning. Decisions and actions must be taken now to make sure we have the wetlands biodiversity needed for both people and our planet to thrive today and in the future.

The objectives in support of  this goal are to: 

1. Improve Wetlands literacy among key target groups so that they can both understand and articulate the importance, values and benefits of the habitat. 
2. Create a strong link between the component habitats that make up Wetlands – mangroves, salt marshes, peatlands, rivers, etc. -- and the term ‘Wetlands’. 
3. The campaign needs to inform, inspire, and engage a variety of  audiences – from decision-makers to key influencers, young people to Wetlands visitors. We can do this by tuning in to the interests, commitments, and passions of  each group. The context of  the campaign is Wetlands as a whole, and the strategy enables us to talk about them in terms of  both their collective and component parts. 
4. This means we can focus on specific types of  Wetlands, and their features and benefits, while framing them as part of  a bigger Wetlands picture. We can go from the global to the local, encompassing both the Earth and the personal – and this scalability will be central to the creative expression of  the campaign. 

 Wetlands are hidden behind different presentations – marsh, lake, reef  – they are not understood as a whole and their collective contribution to the functioning of  the planet and humankind goes unnoticed and largely unremarked. People do not understand what Wetlands are or do. The result is that Wetlands are undervalued and often even considered wastelands. The framing for communications focusses on two things: what Wetlands are – identifying the different kinds of  Wetlands within the whole; and what Wetlands do – the services they perform. We need people to understand both, in order that they will then care enough to protect Wetlands. This can be at a meta level: From mangroves to marshlands, rivers to rice paddies, coral reefs to peatlands, the places where land meets water and the waterbodies themselves create unique and special habitats known as Wetlands. or the micro level: Wetlands are found across our world and work together to support and protect life. Wetlands, in all their forms, are a critical part of the Earth System – the ecosystem at work on our planet - and they make all life possible. [Named Marsh] is part of the planet-wide Wetlands habitat, found from the tropics to the tundra, that supports biodiversity, the water cycle, and climate regulation. It provides valued services to us, from a   home for wading birds to leisure activities for our children, and contributes to the work of Wetlands globally, capturing and storing carbon to combat climate change and helping to hold our world in balance. 

1. There are many different kinds of Wetlands on our planet, from peatlands to mangroves, coral reefs to lakes. Each makes a unique contribution and all of them help to make life on Earth possible, from providing important habitats for biodiversity, to filtering and regulating our water supply, and buffering the impacts of climate change by protecting against storm surges and storing excess carbon from the atmosphere.
2. Preserving Wetlands is a natural solution to  climate change  and  biodiversity  loss. Several kinds of Wetlands, such as coastal coral reefs and mangroves, contribute to  disaster risk reduction  by protecting coastlines and communities from flooding, storm surges, hurricanes and other extreme weather exacerbated by  climate change.    Many Wetland habitats, including peatlands and mangroves, help to  mitigate climate change  by absorbing vast amounts of CO2 from our atmosphere and storing it.

 Life thrives in Wetlands.

• They support a rich tapestry of  biodiversity  upon which we all depend. Mammals, birds, invertebrates and fish all find homes and necessary food resources in Wetland areas across the globe.
• Wetlands filter our  water  to clean it from natural and human-created impurities, nutrient and toxic pollution such as heavy metals and excess fertiliser. 
• Wetlands are the terrestrial and coastal arteries of the global and local  watercycles.
• Fifty years ago, in 1971, world leaders recognised that the many habitats which make up Wetlands are important for the health and functioning of the planet and humankind. 
• They established an intergovernmental global treaty to highlight this importance and to increase Wetlands protection and wise use across the globe. this time the overall health of the planet has declined with serious consequences for all habitats. 
• Many of the causes of this decline have a highly detrimental effect on Wetlands, so it is more important than ever that their role on our planet is understood and that measures are taken to ensure their protection and wise use.
•  About 35% of the world’s Wetlands have disappeared since the 1970s and those that remain are vanishing three times faster than forests. 
• Individual habitats Mangroves,  a Wetlands habitat,  stand between humans and some of the worst effects of climate change by absorbing carbon and protecting land from storms and surges.  
• It is key that we increase protection and wise use of  these vital Wetlands habitats. Coastal coral reefs are one of  the many habitats that make up the Wetlands of our planet, the extraordinary areas where land meets water in a unique relationship that provides homes and rest stops for species and natural carbon solutions for us. 
• This marsh  is a Wetlands habitat and is  a critical resting spot for migratory birds  and other important planet-wide services, such as carbon sequestration and nutrient cycling.
• Protecting this marsh will enable us to preserve those crucial services. 
• Alignment with other processes and issues Wetlands are a critical habitat that cover only 6% of our planet but provide habitats and services to the whole world. 
• They come in many forms, from mangroves to marshes, and work across the planet  to help tackle climate change. 
• The impacts of climate change would be much more severe without  the mitigation benefits of Wetlands, which absorb vast quantities of carbon dioxide.  
• That is why we are protecting Wetlands like peatlands and mangroves and ensuring they are used wisely to help conserve this essential service to humankind. 
• Wetland habitats are performing an important service across our planet  in helping to mitigate climate change by absorbing more carbon that all the forests of the world. 

 
YOUR  ACTION/ASK/ MESSAGE OTHER ISSUE WETLANDS 

1. Biodiversity loss is a significant threat to our planet and human wellbeing and tackling this must include  urgent attention to preserve Wetlands around the world. From mangroves to marshes, Wetlands are home to myriad species and provide critically important services to the planet.  
2. Both inland and coastal Wetlands provide a unique and rich habitat, and should be a major target for attention by States. Increasing protection to Wetlands is an immediate action that can be taken  to help combat climate change.  
3. Preserving the natural carbon sequestration work of the many habitats which make up Wetlands will  help mitigate the effects of the climate crisis while we reach for lower emissions. The Convention on Wetlands is an important tool to help us manage our critically important Wetland habitats globally,  alongside the Conventions on Climate Change and Biodiversity.  
4. Wetlands are the most biologically diverse ecosystems on our planet, home to about 40% of Earth’s plant and animal species. Collectively, they cover an area larger than Canada and absorb more carbon from the atmosphere than any other ecosystem on Earth.  
5. Wetlands like peatlands, salt marshes, mangroves and seagrasses are the most effective carbon sinks on Earth, absorbing and storing twice as much carbon as all the world’s forests combined. Although peatlands only cover 3% of the Earth’s surface, they sequester and store up to a third of all land-based carbon.•  
6.   Nearly half of all Wetlands are only wet for part of the year, becoming saturated with water on a seasonal basis, but are just as important as their permanently wet counterparts.
7. Some Wetlands are actually dry for part of the year, with just under half (46%) only wet during specific seasons, such as tropical savannas. The rest (54%) are wet all the time, such as coastal coral reefs and lakes.   
8. There are many different kinds of Wetlands. They are: 
• Bodies of water: rivers, streams, floodplains, deltas, estuaries, lakes, ponds and ditches.
• Bodies of wet land: wet grasslands, marshes, mudflats, peat bogs, fens, wet woodlands, swamps and reedbeds. 
• Coastal: mangroves, seagrass, salt marshes and coral reefs. 
• Polar: Arctic and Antarctic wetlands.
9. In the Arctic, the main ecosystems are Wetlands, accounting for approximately 60% of the Arctic’s total terrestrial surface area, including tundra peatlands, coastal marine areas, and open freshwater bodies.  
10. Wetlands play a crucial role in the water cycle, receiving, transporting, cleaning, storing and releasing fresh water to support all life on Earth.
11.   Wetlands work hard for our planet, performing a series of tasks to help keep our world healthy and balanced. For example, they help to recycle important natural elements needed for all life and remove and store excess carbon from the atmosphere.
12.  Some Wetlands are found along the coast, such as mangroves, salt marshes, seagrass beds and coral reefs. 
13. These coastal Wetlands are very important for drawing down carbon from the atmosphere and storing it in the ground to help reduce the impacts of climate change.•    
14. Peatlands are also large reservoirs of carbon, surpassing even forests in the amount of carbon dioxide they can store away from the atmosphere.
15.   Penguins and piranhas, whales and wolves, bears and bats, squid and spiders all use Wetlands to survive.•    Lanus de Moxos in Bolivia is the largest protected Wetland Site of International Importance in the world and is home to over 1,000 different plant species; 565 different kind of birds, 625 kinds of fish, 100 reptiles and 60 amphibians.•    
16. Wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems on Earth – providing a home and food for a vast array of different plants and creatures. 
17. Wetlands are rest spots for migratory waterbirds and waders, which rely on them for refueling sites during their long migrations.
18. Freshwater Wetlands cover about 6% of  the planet’s surface but are home to 40%  of all species.
19.  There is more animal diversity in Wetlands than in any other major ecosystem in the world.
20. Over 100,000 freshwater species have been identified in Wetlands so far, and over 200 species of freshwater fish are discovered every year. 
21. Coastal marine wetlands are among the most important spawning and nursery areas for commercially important fish species.
22. Since 1970, Wetlands decline has affected 81% of inland Wetland species populations and 36% of coastal and marine species populations.
23. Across the world, Wetlands are of great importance to humanity, not just for their role in keeping our planet balanced and healthy but for their cultural significance, economic contribution, and spiritual importance in many cultures.
24. All agricultural production depends on water which is transported and provided to humankind through Wetlands. More than half of the world relies on wetland-grown produce for their staple diet, for example from rice paddies.
25. Wetlands also provide more than a billion livelihoods across the world in an array of activities that also deliver food, water supplies, transport, and leisure. Wetlands loss contributes to poverty and food insecurity.
26. Wetlands help to purify and keep our drinking water clean. 
27. They can remove up to 60% of metals, trap and hold up to 90% of contaminated soil from agricultural and other uses, and remove up to 90% of nitrogen.

Resources:

https://ramsar50.org/resources/factsheet/

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/undp-mission-to-restorenine-wetlands-in-ap-begins/article34493010.ece/amp/?__twitter_impression=true