World Wetlands Day: Wetlands for our Future – Sustainable Livelihoods

World Wetlands Day: Wetlands for our Future – Sustainable Livelihoods

The World Wetlands Day was observed on 2 February 2016 across the globe to mark the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands in the city of Ramsar in Iran in 1971.

Key facts about the day:

ü  World Wetland Day was celebrated for the first time in 1997.

ü  Also called the Ramsar Convention, the World Wetland Day marks the date of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands.

ü  The day is observed to raise public awareness of wetland values and benefits in general of the Ramsar Convention.

ü  Theme of World Wetlands Day this year is “Wetlands for our Future – Sustainable Livelihoods”. It highlights the value of wetlands in securing local livelihoods through activities as fishing, rice farming, tourism, and water provision.

This year the World Wetlands Day is being celebrated by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in collaboration with the West Bengal Government at Sunderbans.

Sunderbans are one of the largest single blocks of estuarine mangrove forests in the world which provides habitat to numerous plant and animal species including the Royal Bengal Tiger.

What are Wetlands?

ü  More than a billion people make a living from wetlands.

ü  Livelihoods ranging from fishing and rice farming to travel, tourism and water provision all depend on wetlands.

ü  The extensive food chain and biological diversity in wetlands make them biological supermarkets. These are valuable as sources, sink and transformers of a multitude of biological, chemical and genetic material.

ü  These lands have special attributes as cultural heritage of humanity and have deep connections with our beliefs and practices. They are indeed an important part of our natural wealth and liquid assets.

Status of wetlands in India and the world:

ü  Since 1900, 64 per cent of our wetlands have disappeared.

ü  The US has lost more than half of its wetlands to drainage and conversion to farmland.

ü  As per National Wetland Atlas, 15.26 million hectares are under wetlands in India.

ü  India has around 26 wetlands of international importance as defined by the Ramsar Convention for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands.

ü  Dal Lake, Wular Lake, Harike Lake, Sunderban and Chika Lake are a few threatened wetlands in India.

India’s actions to conserve Wetlands

v  The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change will continue to accord high priority to conservation and wise use of wetlands in the country.

v  The National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA) provides the policy framework and support to State Governments for integrated management of wetlands.

v  The State Wetland Authorities are envisaged to be entrusted the role of management and regulation of wetlands within their jurisdiction.

v  In a strategic step towards increasing the capacity of wetland managers in integrated and holistic management, upgrading the existing Wetland Research and Training Centre of Chilika Development Authority at Barkul, Odisha into the National Capacity Development Centre for Wetlands is also being envisaged.

v  The Ministry looks forward to working with State Governments, experts, NGOs, private sector and concerned citizens from all walks of life to secure these natural resource endowments.