Wetlands in India and their importance amid climate change concerns

Did you know?

✅They are termed as nature’s kidney

✅They can store 1.5 million gallons of floodwater in just an acre of land preventing floods to occur?

✅They are considered to be a vital link between land and water 

✅They provide various services to different species. 

Wetlands are considered to be a vital link between land and water that provides various services to different species. For example, wetlands are a source of fresh water, they habitat many unique plants and animals, and help in groundwater recharge along with climate change mitigation.

Wetlands have been disappearing steadily yet rapidly due to agricultural runoff with pesticides, construction of dams and barrages, and the dumping of garbage and domestic effluents in the water. As a result, not only plants and species suffer extinction, local communities living around wetlands also lack a source of livelihood.

The Ramsar Convention established in 1971 by UNESCO, that promotes the conservation and judicious use of wetlands. 

India joined the Ramsar Convention in 1982. 

India has more than 42 Ramsar sites of international importance spread across an area of 1,081,438 hectares.

Some of the wetlands in India are Bhitarkanika Mangroves, Ashtamudi Wetland, Sundarban Wetland, Chilika Lake, Sambhar Lake, Loktak Lake, East Kolkata Wetlands, Keoladeo National Park, Kanwar Taal or Kabar Taal Lake, Vembanad-Kol Wetland, Tso Kar in Ladakh among others.