1 February 2016, 12:05
Over 1000 events organized around the world to celebrate World Wetlands Day
Today marks 45 years since the Convention on Wetlands was signed in the Iranian city of Ramsar. Each year on the anniversary, people in many countries come together to celebrate wetlands and their vital importance for the future of our planet.
Each year, a theme is selected to focus attention on a vital function of wetlands. The theme for 2016, under the banner “Wetlands for our Future” is Sustainable Livelihoods selected to demonstrate the vital role of wetlands for the current and future well being of humanity and to promote the wise use of all wetlands types.
It is estimated that more than a billion people around the world make their living directly from wetlands, doing jobs such as fishing, rice farming or handicrafts. Other sectors such as travel and eco-tourism, water transport and aquaculture all depend on healthy wetlands.
And yet some 64% of the world’s wetlands have disappeared since 1900; many of them converted for agricultural use or urban development, putting at risk a billion livelihoods. Coastal, marine and inland wetlands are declining fast. Approximately 40% have been degraded in just over 40 years according to the Wetland Extent Trend and this decline is continuing at an accelerated rate of 1.5% annually.
“This alarming loss means it is urgent for people to understand that preserving wetlands does not have to mean restricting economic growth or depriving people of livelihoods. But quite the opposite.” Said Ania Grobicki, Acting Secretary General of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
“2016 marks the dawn of a new era. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals adopted last September map out the route from the vicious circle of environmental degradation towards a virtuous cycle where we preserve, restore and wisely use ecosystems precisely because they are vital for our prosperity”. She added
Today there are 169 countries that have signed the Convention of Wetlands and over 2,200 Sites designated and recognized as Wetlands of International importance covering an area of 208 million hectares, an area larger than Mexico.
The new Ramsar Strategy 2016-2024 calls for wetland benefits to be featured in strategies and plans relating to key sectors such as water, energy, mining, agriculture, tourism, urban development, infrastructure, industry, forestry, aquaculture and fisheries at the national and local level. It also calls for wetland functions, services and benefits to be widely demonstrated and documented.
This is why, for World Wetlands Day 2016, the Ramsar Secretariat has assembled a range of inspiring stories that demonstrate how wetlands can and do provide sustainable livelihoods. You can read these stories at www.worldwetlandsday.org
Furthermore to encourage the participation of young people, a photo competition open to anyone one aged 15 to 24 years starts 2 February until 2 March 2016. Young people are encouraged to capture an image showing how “wetlands are essential for sustainable livelihoods,” and upload as many as 3 photos to the World Wetlands Day website www.worldwetlandsday.org. The winner of the photo contest will enjoy a free flight to visit a wetland anywhere in the world, courtesy of Star Alliance.