Wetlands will help countries deliver the Global Biodiversity Framework

Wetlands are some of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet, supporting a wide variety of animals from large predators like sharks and tigers to migratory birds and fish. Wetland flora also curb some of the worst water-related effects of climate change. Mangroves and seagrass not only reduce the intensity of both floods and droughts, but also help remove impurities from the water. In fact, they play such a pivotal role in the water cycle, that a world without wetlands would be a world without freshwater.??

Human activities have caused an unprecedented decline in nature, with wildlife species dropping a devastating 69% on average since 1970, and freshwater species populations suffering an 83% loss .

Brazil's Pantanal is the world's largest tropical wetland and is under severe threat from climate change and land-use change, especially the intentional setting of fires. It is proof of our broken relationship with nature.

In December of last year, 196 countries sought to remedy this by adopting the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), committing the world to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030.??

The Framework includes 23 targets with wetlands recognised in the targets for restoration and conservation of 30% of the planet. Now, to move from “Agreement to Action”, governments must prioritise wetlands in their National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans . The good news is that wetlands are key to achieving many of the GBF targets.??

Target 1 commits countries to near-zero loss of areas of high biodiversity importance by 2030. That must include all sorts of nature-rich wetlands from mangroves and mudflats, to rivers, lakes and marshes, because:?

• 40% of all plant and animal species live or breed in wetlands ?
• 200 new freshwater species are discovered annually in wetlands?
• Wetlands are home to several endemic species, not found anywhere else on the planet like mudskippers and the Indian bullfrog?

Target 2 requires the restoration of 30 percent of degraded ecosystems, including wetlands. Wetlands International supports the Freshwater Challenge which aims for at least 350 million hectares of wetlands and 300,000 km of rivers to be under restoration globally by 2030, directly contributing to this target.??

Wetlands were also included in Target 3 on protecting 30 percent of the planet by 2030.? Wetland sites of international importance designated under the Ramsar convention on wetlands can make a critical contribution to how countries achieve this goal.??

Target 8 of the GBF revolves around the use of nature-based solutions to minimise the impacts of climate change. Wetlands are climate superheroes – increasing coastal resilience by reducing the effects of floods and sea-level rise while sequestering large amounts of carbon.???

But conserving and restoring wetlands is not enough. Unless we tackle the root causes of wetland destruction the global targets to halt and reverse nature loss will not be met. Agriculture is one of the biggest drivers of wetland loss. Target 10 of the GBF calls for sustainable management of agricultural land. The wise use of wetlands under the Ramsar convention can help transform our food systems and achieve this target.??

The onus now falls on leaders around the world. Businesses must transform their supply chains to be degradation-free. Governments must strengthen national policies and focus on rapid implementation. And importantly, financiers must invest in nature, while harmful subsidies must be phased out. ?

Healthy wetlands are key to building an equitable, carbon-neutral, nature-positive future and countries must collaborate to scale up action for them.?