Fifth of wetlands destroyed by 2050

The destruction of wetlands affects water availability, biodiversity, climate stability and the well-being of all life, including people's livelihoods

- Sheree Bega

Wetlands, which sustain life on the planet, are disappearing faster than any other ecosystem. And in South Africa, wetlands "degrade faster than investment in their rehabilitation".

This is according to a new report by the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar), the Global Wetland Outlook 2025, which warns that without urgent action, a fifth of the world's remaining wetlands could disappear by 2050.

This puts up to $39 trillion in ecosystem benefits at risk, more than any other ecosystem.

The report found that since 1970, at least 400 million hectares of wetlands have been lost — that is 22% of the global total. And nearly a quarter of those that have survived are in a degraded state, a figure that is increasing.

Degradation is now as pressing a concern as outright loss, the report said, warning that these losses significantly affect water availability, biodiversity, climate stability and human well-being.

The report was launched before the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Wetlands in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, which starts on Wednesday.

Despite covering just 6% of the Earth's surface, wetlands provide ecosystem services that include clean water, food production, flood protection and carbon storage that total more than 7.5% of global GDP. They also support a disproportionately high share of livelihoods across sectors such as agriculture, aquaculture and tourism.

Yet every year, 0.52% of wetlands are lost, undermining efforts to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss. The report noted that these losses are unevenly distributed, with the highest rates occurring in low-income regions where wetlands are more ecologically critical and closely linked to local livelihoods, food systems and water supplies.