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Urgent Need for Wetland Conservation
Context:
The recent suo motu public interest litigation initiated by the Meghalaya High Court to oversee wetland conservation has once again highlighted the significance of these vital ecosystems.
What are Wetlands?
- Wetlands, which include marshes, swamps, lakes, and estuaries, play a crucial role in biodiversity conservation, water management, and climate regulation.
- Since 1971, February 2 has been observed as World Wetlands Day, commemorating the adoption of the Ramsar Convention, an international treaty dedicated to wetland conservation.
- The theme for this year, “Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future”, underscores the need to integrate wetlands into sustainable development efforts, as emphasised in the Brundtland Report (1987).
Pressures on Wetlands
- Productive Ecosystems: Wetlands are among the most biologically productive ecosystems, contributing 40.6% of global ecosystem services while covering only 6% of the Earth’s surface.
- Threats: Despite their importance, they face severe stress due to urbanisation, industrialisation, agricultural expansion, and climate change.
- Since 1900, nearly 50% of the world’s wetlands have been lost to land-use changes.
- Between 1970 and 2015, global wetland areas declined by 35%.
- The Wetland Extent Trends (WET) Index estimates a decline of 0.78% annually, which is over three times the rate of natural vegetation loss.
- 81% of inland wetland species and 36% of coastal and marine species have witnessed population declines since 1970, with extinction risks rising.
- Global Challenge: This rapid degradation has made wetland conservation a major global challenge, particularly as wetlands hold potential solutions for climate change adaptation, water security, and urban resilience.
Global Conservation Efforts
- COP 14: Recognising the urgency, the 14th Conference of the Parties (COP14) to the Ramsar Convention, held in Wuhan, China, and Geneva, Switzerland (2022), emphasised the interconnectedness of wetland conservation with other global environmental initiatives.
- Fifth Ramsar Strategic Plan: The upcoming Fifth Ramsar Strategic Plan aligns wetland protection with major global frameworks, including:
- The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Global Biodiversity Targets
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- The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
- The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration
- Research efforts of the IPBES and IPCC
Situation in India
- 75 Sites: As a signatory to the Ramsar Convention, India has designated 75 Ramsar sites across diverse ecological regions.
- Some river stretches, such as the Upper Ganga, also hold Ramsar status.
- However, the designation alone does not guarantee conservation.
- NWDCA: According to the National Wetland Decadal Change Atlas (2017-18) by the Space Applications Centre (SAC), Government of India:
- India has 15.98 million hectares of wetlands, but Ramsar sites cover only 1.33 million hectares (8%).
- 66.6% of India’s wetlands are natural (43.9% inland, 22.7% coastal), while the rest are man-made.
- Natural coastal wetlands are declining, with noticeable losses from 2006-07 to 2017-18.
- Studies by Wetlands International South Asia (WISA) indicate a 30% loss of India’s natural wetlands in four decades due to urbanisation, pollution, and infrastructure development.
- Alarming Loss: Alarming Wetland Loss in Indian Cities:
- Mumbai lost 71% of its wetlands (1970-2014).
- Kolkata’s East Wetlands shrank by 36% (1991-2021).
- Chennai has lost 85% of its wetlands, according to a recent WWF study.
- Economic Loss: A study on Cali city, Colombia, estimated that urban wetland degradation results in an annual loss of $76,827 per hectare in ecosystem services.
- Peri-urban wetland loss accounts for $30,354 per hectare annually.
Key Considerations for Wetland Protection
- Integrated Management: Conservation strategies must address physical, social, and economic factors, including land-use changes, governance structures, and human-induced pressures.
- Climate Change Role: Wetlands store and release carbon, making them essential for climate change mitigation. Monitoring their role in carbon sequestration is crucial.
- Stronger Policies and Enforcement: Conservation must go beyond designation of Ramsar sites and include strict enforcement, urban planning integration, and community engagement.
- Development Integration: The Ramsar COP14 recommendations emphasise that wetlands must be incorporated into national development plans for sustainable urbanisation and water security.
