Wetlands, one of Earth’s most productive ecosystems, provide vital ecological, economic, and cultural benefits. Acting as natural water filter, carbon sink, and homes for endangered species, they cleanse water, absorb carbon dioxide, and support millions of people by providing water, food, and livelihoods.
Despite their crucial role in flood control, groundwater recharge, and climate stability, wetlands are rapidly disappearing due to urbanization, agriculture, pollution, and climate change. According to the first-ever Global Wetland Outlook, 35 percent of the world’s wetlands have disappeared over the last 50 years, emphasizing the urgent need for conservation and restoration to protect these vital ecosystems.
Every year on February 2nd, World Wetlands Day highlights the critical role of wetlands in biodiversity, climate change, and human livelihoods. This year’s theme, ‘Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future’, emphasized their importance in balancing ecological health and human well-being. The day also marks the adoption of the Ramsar Convention, an international treaty for wetland conservation, in 1971.
The Himalayan wetlands, covering 10 percent of the region’s land, are often referred to as the “kidneys” of the landscape. With 44 wetlands listed on the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance, they are crucial for both human and ecological survival.
However, these wetlands face severe threats from urbanization, agriculture, climate change, unsustainable resource extraction, infrastructure projects fragmenting habitats, altered rainfall patterns and accelerated glacial melting intensifying flooding or drying, and pollution degrading ecological integrity.
Cost of wetland degradation
Wetland degradation carries significant ecological and socio-economic repercussions. Ecologically, the destruction of wetlands results in reduced biodiversity, disrupting habitats for rare and endangered species. The critical functions of wetlands—such as water purification, flood control, and carbon storage—are severely compromised, exacerbating issues like water scarcity, soil erosion, and greenhouse gas emissions.
On a socio-economic level, wetland degradation threatens livelihoods such as fishing, agriculture, and tourism. It reduces food security, increases vulnerability to natural disasters, and raises healthcare costs due to pollution and waterborne diseases. Furthermore, the cultural and spiritual value of wetlands for indigenous and local populations is being lost, eroding rich cultural heritage tied to these vital ecosystems.
Wetland-loss disproportionately impacts Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs), who have historically relied on these ecosystems for their cultural, economic, and spiritual well-being. Degradation of these ecosystems due to unsustainable development, climate change, and pollution disrupts their access to these resources, leading to food insecurity, loss of income, and cultural erosion. Moreover, wetland loss reduces IPLC’s ability to adapt to environmental changes, as these ecosystems serve as natural buffers against floods and droughts.
A call to action
Urgent action is needed to protect wetlands to preserve biodiversity, sustain livelihoods, and fulfil global commitments such as the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and the Paris Agreement on climate change. These ecosystems are vital to climate resilience, water security, and the well-being of millions of people. However, continued degradation threatens their ability to function as nature’s lifelines.
Governments, communities, scientists, and individuals must work together to halt wetland loss and restore degraded ecosystems. Key actions include: 1) Strengthening wetland conservation policies and enforcing regulations to prevent encroachment and pollution, 2) Integrating wetlands into national climate strategies to enhance their role in climate resilience, 3) Investing in research to understand wetland dynamics, particularly in high-altitude regions and using data from change monitoring to guide adaptive management, 4) Placing local communities at the center of conservation efforts through education, incentives, and sustainable practices, 5) Halting activities that degrade wetlands, such as unsustainable agriculture and industrial pollution, while prioritizing restoration projects and 6) Promoting eco-friendly tourism to minimize environmental impact.
The conservation of wetlands is a shared responsibility. By prioritizing restoration, enforcing protections, and empowering local communities, we can ensure that wetlands continue to thrive as nature’s reservoirs of life and resilience. Let’s protect wetlands to secure a healthier planet for future generations.
Pema Gyamtsho is the Director General of ICIMOD.
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