World Wetlands Day

Wetlands and Water

World Wetlands Day is celebrated every year on 2 February. It marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands in 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the Caspian Sea’s shores. The observation is to raise public awareness about the importance and value of wetlands and generate global support for the conservation and sustainable management of the wetlands.  The year 2021 marks the 50^th year of its observation. A wetland of international importance is often referred to as a Ramsar site. This year also marks the beginning of UN Decades of Ocean Science and Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030).  

Wetlands occur where water meets land and are the land areas that are saturated or flooded with water either permanently or seasonally. Inland wetlands include mangroves, marshes, and ponds. Coastal wetlands include saltwater marshes, estuaries, lagoons, and coral reefs. They exist in every country and in every climatic zone, from the polar regions to the tropics, and from high altitudes to dry areas.

Ramsar Convention on Wetlands reports that estimates show that 64% of the world’s wetlands have disappeared since 1900. T\the loss of wetlands is even higher in some regions, notably Asia. Inland wetlands are disappearing at a faster pace than coastal ones. Like in many other countries, the wetlands in India are fast disappearing. One of the reasons attributed to the recent devastation caused by 2015 floods in Chennai is vanishing wetlands. Wetlands are often viewed as a wasteland. UNESCO  works continuously with other entities to protect the world’s most important wetland systems.

Situated in south-east Siberia, Lake Baikal is reported to be the oldest and deepest lake in the world.  The Okavango Delta (Botswana) brings life to people and wildlife in the Kalahari Desert, and efforts to preserve it illustrates how international cooperation over shared heritage resources.  India has many of the Ramsar sites and to name a few:  Chilika Lake, Kolleru Lake, Loktak Lake.  Chilika lake is the second largest coastal lagoon globally and largest wintering ground for migratory birds and the first wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention in India. Kolleru Lake located between Krishna and Godavari river deltas is an important habitat for birds like Siberian crane, painted storks and spot-billed pelican birds in India. Loktak Lake in Manipur is a freshwater lake and home to only floating national park in the world, Keibul Lamjao National Park.  

People are using more freshwater than nature can replenish, leading to destroying the ecosystem that water and all life depend on most – the Wetlands. Water and wetlands are connected in an inseparable co-existence that is vital to life, our wellbeing, and our planet’s health.

There is no “Planet B’, at least for now.

The world communities must work together to protect the irreplaceable World Heritage wetlands for current and future generations to come.  The role of local and indigenous communities is also vital in protecting them. Technology is being effectively being used to trace and monitor satellite imagery and open access to them, enabling enhancing awareness.  

Toons: Anusha and Reema Jaiswal
Logs: Sai Baba