World Wetlands Day (February 2):

GS Paper 3:

Topics Covered: Conservation related issues.

Context:

When is it celebrated? 2nd Feb Every Year.

Significance: The day also marks the anniversary of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Convention) in Ramsar, Iran, on 2 February 1971.

Protection: Wetlands are currently protected under different designations, including the Ramsar Convention on wetlands, the UNESCO Man and Biosphere Programme and others, and some of these overlap.

Significance of World Wetlands Day 2022:

The World Wetlands Day 2022 is significant as this is the first time that the day will be observed as a United Nations International Day.

Theme for 2022: “Wetlands Action for People and Nature”.

What are wetlands?

We can find wetlands wherever water bodies meet the land.

• Wetlands include mangroves and marshes, peatlands, rivers, lakes and other water bodies, deltas, floodplains and swamps in forested areas, paddy-fields and coral reefs.

Why wetlands are crucial for a healthy planet?

The health of people on our planet depends on healthy wetlands.

• 40% of the world’s species live or breed in wetlands.
• Wetlands are “nurseries of life” – 40% of animals breed in wetlands.
• Wetlands are “kidneys of the earth” – they clean the environment of pollutants.
• Wetlands “matter for climate change” – they store 30% of land based carbon.
• Wetlands “minimize disaster risks” – they absorb storm surge.

Ramsar Convention:

• The Ramsar Convention is an international agreement promoting the conservation of wetlands.
• The Convention was adopted at Ramsar in Iran in 1971 and came into force in 1975. Almost 90% of the UN member states are part of the Convention.

Montreux Record:

Montreux Record under the Convention is a register of wetland sites on the List of Wetlands of International Importance where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring, or are likely to occur as a result of technological developments, pollution or other human interference.

It is maintained as part of the Ramsar List.

• The Montreux Record was established by Recommendation of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (1990).
• Sites may be added to and removed from the Record only with the approval of the Contracting Parties in which they lie.
• Currently, two wetlands of India are in Montreux record: Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan) and Loktak Lake (Manipur).

Chilka lake (Odisha) was placed in the record but was later removed from it.

Two more Ramsar sites announced on World Wetlands Day:

Two new sites are- Khijadiya wildlife sanctuary in Gujarat and Bakhira wildlife sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh.

• Now , India has a network of 49 such sites, the highest in South Asia, covering 10,93,636 hectares.

Insta Curious:

What are Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas? How are they protected? Reference: Read this.

InstaLinks:

Prelims Link:

1. About Ramsar convention.
2. About Montreux record.
3. Wetlands in India covered under the convention.
4. Definition of Wetlands.
5. Important bird species found in the area.
6. About the Central Asian Flyway.

Sources: the Hindu.