Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment
6. The Ramsar Convention has been successful in encouraging countries to identify and designate wetlands of international importance within their territories. The convention has played a role in raising awareness about the value of wetlands and their importance to human societies. Elucidate. (250 words)
Difficulty level: Easy
Reference: The Hindu , Insights on India
Why the question:
Five more Indian wetlands have been added to the global list of wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, taking the total number of such highly recognised waterlogged ecosystems in the country to 80.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the importance of wetland ecosystem.
Elucidate – Give a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the context. You must be defining key terms wherever appropriate and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by defining aims of Ramsar convention.
Body:
Write about the various functions performed by a wetland- water-related ecosystem services, productive areas for plant life and animals, major habitat for most of the world’s waterbirds and key habitat for migratory species, important source of food and high recreational, historical, scientific, and cultural values.
Next, write about Ramsar convention, its achievements in protecting wetlands – biodiversity conservation, sustainable use promotion, and fostering international cooperation.
Next, write about its limitations – enforcement and compliance, varying monitoring standards, human pressures and development, climate change impacts, and limited financial resources etc.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
