Context:

The Global Wetland Outlook 2025, released by the Ramsar Convention, issues a stark warning: wetlands—among Earth’s most vital ecosystems—are disappearing at an alarming pace. Over 35% have been lost since 1970, threatening biodiversity, water security, and climate resilience.

What Are Wetlands?

Definition:
Wetlands are ecosystems where water saturates the land—either permanently or seasonally—creating unique habitats for diverse plant and animal life.

Types:
Include marshes, swamps, bogs, peatlands, mangroves, and estuaries.

Key Characteristics:

• High water content or seasonal inundation
• Specialized soils such as hydric soils
• Distinctive vegetation like reeds, grasses, and mangroves
• Serve as ecological buffers between land and water systems

Key Findings from Global Wetland Outlook 2025

• Disappearing Fast: Wetlands are vanishing three times faster than forests, with 35% lost since 1970.
• Biodiversity Collapse: Wetland species populations dropped by over 80% between 1970 and 2022.
• Carbon Powerhouses: Peatlands, though covering just 3% of Earth's surface, store 30% of global soil carbon.
• Agricultural Pressure: Nearly 50% of wetlands are degraded due to farming, irrigation, and water diversion.
• India Focus: 19 Ramsar sites in India are under ecological stress—especially Keoladeo National Park and Chilika Lake.

Analysis: Opportunities & Challenges

Opportunities:

• Biodiversity Havens: Wetlands like Loktak Lake and the Sundarbans are critical habitats for migratory birds, fish, and endangered species.
• Flood Protection: Natural buffers such as Kolleru Lake in Andhra Pradesh absorb excess rainfall, mitigating floods.
• Climate Action: Peatlands act as efficient carbon sinks, contributing to India’s net-zero 2070 goal.
• Livelihoods: Wetlands sustain over 1 billion people globally via fishing, agriculture, and eco-tourism.

Challenges:

• Fragmented Governance: Wetlands fall under various ministries, leading to coordination gaps and weak enforcement.
• Urban Encroachment: Wetlands like Bellandur Lake (Bengaluru) are severely polluted due to illegal dumping and construction.
• Data Gaps: India lacks a current, comprehensive wetland inventory—the last major mapping was done over 10 years ago.
• Climate Vulnerability: Rising temperatures and erratic rainfall accelerate wetland drying and salinisation.
• Water Overuse: Groundwater extraction in the Ganga basin is shrinking many wetlands.

Key Recommendations

1. Unified Wetland Authority:
   Establish a centralized body under the MoEFCC for wetland policy and management.
2. Revise Wetland Rules (2017):
   Expand legal protection to include urban, seasonal, and smaller wetlands.
3. Incentivize Local Conservation:
   Link carbon credits and other incentives to community-driven wetland preservation.
4. Modern Monitoring Tools:
   Adopt AI-enabled remote sensing and satellite data for real-time wetland tracking.
5. Climate Integration:
   Embed wetland protection into State Climate Action Plans—as seen in Kerala’s Blue Carbon pilot.
6. Community Engagement:
   Promote grassroots models like Wetland Mitras and school eco-clubs for awareness and local stewardship.

Conclusion

Wetlands are not wastelands—they are climate buffers, biodiversity banks, and livelihood providers. Their protection is crucial for achieving Sustainable Development Goals 13 (Climate Action) and 15 (Life on Land), and for realising India’s net-zero vision by 2070. The Global Wetland Outlook 2025 is a clear call to treat wetland conservation as a global and national priority.

Source: GWO