Wetlands are nature’s lifelines—vibrant ecosystems that connect land and water and support an incredible array of wild species. This underlines the importance of the Convention on Wetlands. Forty percent of all known plant and animal species rely on wetlands for their survival.
Many of these species like the Siberian crane, the African manatee, and the Gharial crocodile are covered by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES, which ensures that international trade in these species does not impact their existence in the wild.
Wetlands sustain biodiversity and provide critical corridors for the movement of species, connecting habitats across regions. They also sustain our common economic future, supporting fisheries and offering opportunities for ecotourism, jobs and services valued at an amazing 47 trillion dollars.
For World Wetlands Day 2025, under the theme 'Protecting Wetlands for our Common Future,' we are reminded of the critical mission of the Convention on Wetlands in conserving these ecosystems, the future of CITES-listed species and our communities relying on them.
With the triple planetary crises of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss looming large, we must work together to ensure that vulnerable wetlands species are managed sustainably, so that Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and all sectors of society thrive in coexistence with wildlife.
I hope this World Wetlands Day inspires renewed commitment to developing more effective policies and management strategies that conserve our wetlands and the wild and wonderful species that inhabit them for our common future!
Happy World Wetlands Day!