Wetlands: Anything but Wastelands

(This is an adaptation of an article written for the Hindi print media, to mark World Wetlands Day in February)

What could a small tourist town in Iran named #Ramsar , on the Caspian Sea shores, possibly have to do with water-covered lands - often swampy, marshy and not too hospitable for human habitation?

Ramsar was where the Convention on #Wetlands was signed in 1971 as an international treaty. The date it was signed, today, February 2, has been marked as World Wetlands day since 1997. Therefore, this Iranian town lends its name to an important listing of wetlands – the Ramsar list- which carries the Wetlands of International Importance. Globally, the wetlands on the Ramsar list account for some 2.5 million square kilometres, only a little less than the total landmass of India!

But first, what are wetlands? As the name would suggest, these are areas covered with water- either seasonally or perennially. With a water table close to the land surface long enough every year, they support the vegetation of aquatic plants. With a rich range of plant and animal species, wetlands have the richest diversity of all ecosystems. And therein lies its worth.

It is a tempting thought, especially in the land-scarce urban environments that we live in, to think of draining the wetlands and putting them to more tangible, 'productive' use? Alternatively, filling them up to form a substantial water body like a lake would seem sensible too? The answer lies in the social good versus private benefit logic, powerfully articulated by the Ramsar Convention: "The economic worth of the #ecosystem services provided to society by intact, naturally functioning wetlands is frequently much greater than the perceived benefits of converting them to 'more valuable' intensive land use – particularly as the profits from unsustainable use often go to relatively few individuals or corporations, rather than being shared by society as a whole."

'Ecosystem services' cover a wide gamut- from water purification to groundwater recharge to storm protection, flood control, and more. There is increasing evidence that they have a role in climate change mitigation and adaptation.

It is, therefore, no surprise that to qualify for the Ramsar list, the first criterion itself refers to sites containing representative, rare or unique wetland types, and the other eight cover Sites of international importance for conserving biological diversity. These criteria emphasize the importance the Convention places on sustaining biodiversity. Getting onto the Ramsar List, being monitored globally, also carries the responsibility of managing these effectively and maintaining their ecological character.

Most of us, living in the cities, may not have given wetlands much thought. Presumably, they are far away- and not of much use or even beauty in a sense a large water body like is. There are about five Ramsar sites within a couple of hours of driving time of New Delhi alone! Indeed, a recent and 47th addition to the list from India was in December- the Haiderpur Wetland. A little unusually, this is a creation of human intervention-formed by the construction of a barrage in the Ganga basin. Located within the boundaries of Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary, its diverse habitat supports a wide variety of birds and waterbirds, reptiles and fish- some of them on the endangered lists. Like some other wetlands, it is also a favourite spot for our migratory birds to visit each winter.

Indeed, 28 sites in India have been added with the Ramsar recognition in 2022 alone, taking the country tally to 75. It is a fitting recognition as we mark our 75th anniversary of Indian independence- truly an environmental salute to the #amritmahotsav .

The depletion of forests globally has received much comment and attention. That we are losing wetlands three times faster than forests has yet to capture the public attention. Wetlands are critically important ecosystems and impact our lives in multiple ways that we now have a flavour of. Ever wonder where the mega-city of #Calcutta gets much of its fish from? Well, it is the East Calcutta Wetlands at work.

World Wetlands Day is the ideal time to reflect on our understanding of the critically important ecosystems of the Wetlands.

?Why is 2022 World Wetlands Day special? Apart from marking the 25th year of observing this marquee day, it is the first time the world is celebrating this as UN International Day, thanks to a General Assembly resolution passed last August. At last, the tagline Wetlands are not Wastelands has found its weight on the global stage.?