How fast are the wetlands disappearing

Plants in swamps absorb pollutants, mangroves store carbon, lakes and underground aquifers are a crucial source of water, and coral reefs protect coastlines from wave action and serve as shelter for marine organisms.

Wetlands are home to indigenous peoples and a natural source of livelihoods for their communities. They provide drinking water, energy, fisheries, agriculture, transport, recreation, cultural values and tourism.

While human-made wetlands — largely rice paddy and reservoirs — have almost doubled between and , natural wetlands have been progressively declining. Estimates show that at least 64 per cent of wetlands have been lost since and around 87 per cent since Human-induced factors are behind wetlands' disappearance trend.

Agriculture accounts for 65 per cent of the total water withdrawal globally. Industries, such as paper and beverage production, consume significant amounts of water.

Add to this rising sea levels that swamp shallow wetlands and desertification that affects other wetlands such as estuaries and floodplains. More than one billion people depend on them for a living and they are among the most biodiverse ecosystems. Wetlands are a vital source for food, raw materials, genetic resources for medicines, and hydropower, and they play an important role in transport, tourism and the cultural and spiritual well-being of people.

Across the globe, legislative bodies need to integrate wetlands into policy programs and make investments into their sustainability. We need to educate the world on the critical importance of this most rapidly disappearing ecosystem.

Wetlands are currently estimated to cover more than Between per cent of them 2, sites are on the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance, which are protected sites.

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