Syllabus: GS3/Biodiversity and Conservation
Context
- Ramsar Convention on Wetlands has released the Global Wetland Outlook for 2025.
About Global Wetland Outlook for 2025
- It offers the most current global evaluation of the condition, trends, value and policy responses concerning wetlands.
- Produced by: The Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP) of the Convention on Wetlands.
- Eleven broad wetland types are evaluated encompassing: Seagrass, Kelp Forests, Coral Reefs, Estuarine Waters, Salt Marshes, Mangroves, Tidal Flats, Lakes, Rivers and Streams, Inland Marshes and Swamps, and Peatlands (Mires).
Major Findings
- Wetland loss continues: Since 1970, an estimated 411 million hectares of wetlands have been lost worldwide, representing a 22% decline in global extent.
- The average rate of wetland loss was -0.52% per annum (ranging from -1.80% to -0.01%, depending on wetland type).
- Wetland degradation is widespread: Recently, wetland declines are notable in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa, however, the extent of degradation also increased in Europe, North America, and Oceania.
- Reasons for Degradation:Urbanisation, industrial and infrastructure development are the three most important drivers of wetland degradation and loss across Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.
- In North America and Oceania, invasive species were a larger concern, and in Europe drought was the main cause.
- High Value Resource: The 1,425 million ha of remaining wetlands give an estimated $7.98 trillion to $39.01 trillion benefits to people, every year.
- If all remaining wetlands are effectively managed until 2050, they will provide a net present value (NPV) greater than $205.25 trillion over this time period.
- Conservation of healthy and functioning wetlands is cheaper than restoration: Average costs for restoring wetlands can range from $1,000 per hectare (per annum, Int$) to over $70,000 per hectare.
- The global financing gap for wetlands: Current estimates show that biodiversity conservation funding accounts for just 0.25% of global GDP, highlighting the significant underinvestment in nature, including wetlands.
Recommendations:
- Financing: Wetlands must be incorporated into financing mechanisms like those under the KM-GBF, which aims to mobilise billions annually.
- Unlock a private and public mix of financing to invest in wetlands as nature-based solutions.
- The Global Wetland Outlook 2025 calls for immediate action from policymakers, businesses, and society.
- Achieving this requires strong political will, public support, and will require significant resource mobilization. There is an urgent need to boost funding for nature.
| The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) – GBF was adopted by the COP15 to the Convention on Biological Diversity in 2022. – It has been promoted as a “Paris Agreement for Nature”. – The GBF contains 4 global goals and 23 targets. 1. Among the twenty-three targets to be achieved by 2030 include halving the introduction of invasive species, and $500 billion/year reduction in harmful subsidies. 2. “Target 3” is especially referred to as the “30X30” target. ’30X30′ target 1. Under it, delegates committed to protecting 30% of land and 30% of coastal and marine areas by 2030, known as 30-by-30. 2. It also aspires to restore 30% of degraded lands and waters throughout the decade, up from an earlier aim of 20%. 3. Also, the world will strive to prevent destroying intact landscapes and areas with a lot of species, bringing those losses “close to zero by 2030”. |
What is a Wetland?
- A wetland is an ecosystem in which the land is covered by water—salt, fresh, or somewhere in between—either seasonally or permanently. It functions as its own distinct ecosystem.
- It includes water bodies such as lakes, rivers, underground aquifers, swamps, wet grasslands, peatlands, deltas, tidal flats, mangroves, coral reefs, and other coastal areas as well.
- These wetlands can be classified into three segments such as inland wetlands, coastal wetlands, and human-made wetlands.
Wetlands in India
- India includes high-altitude wetlands of the Himalayas, floodplains of rivers such as Ganges and Brahmaputra, lagoons and mangrove marshes on the coastline, and reefs in marine environments.
- India has around 4.6% of its land as wetlands, 91 Wetlands of India covering are under the List of Wetlands of International Importance.
- Presently, India stands first in South Asia and third in Asia in terms of number of designated sites.
Importance of Wetlands
- Biodiversity Hotspots: Wetlands are among the most biologically diverse ecosystems on Earth, supporting a wide variety of plant and animal species.
- Water Filtration and Purification: They act as natural filters, trapping and removing pollutants and sediments from water.
- Flood Control and Water Regulation: Function as natural buffers against floods by absorbing and slowing down excess water during heavy rainfall or storm events.
- Carbon Sequestration: The waterlogged conditions in wetlands slow down the decomposition of organic matter, leading to the accumulation of carbon in the soil.
- Economic Benefits: Wetlands support various economic activities, including fisheries, agriculture, and tourism. They provide valuable resources for local communities and contribute to the overall economy.
| Ramsar Convention – It is an international treaty aimed at conserving wetlands around the world. It was adopted in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971 and entered into force in 1975. -Countries that are parties to the convention commit to designating wetlands of international importance within their territories. These sites are referred to as Ramsar Sites. – Criteria: 1. supporting vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species or 2. threatened ecological communities or, 3. if it regularly supports 20,000 or more waterbirds or, 4. it is an important source of food for fishes, spawning grounds, and nursery. – India has been a party to the Convention since 1982. |
Source: DTE
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