CURRENTLY ON AIR ⇒
  • The Early Breakfast
    Thursday, 5:00 am - 6:00 am
    [ - ]

feedback@radioislam.org.za

logo


((( Listen Live )))))
Radio Islam Logo


World Wetlands Day 2 February

What is World Wetlands Day

World Wetlands Day is celebrated on February 2nd each year to raise awareness about the importance of wetlands and their conservation. It marks the anniversary of the signing of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in 1971, an international treaty aimed at protecting these vital ecosystems. The day serves as an opportunity to highlight the value of wetlands in terms of biodiversity, water purification, flood control, and their role in supporting numerous plant and animal species. Events, activities, and educational programs are often organized worldwide to promote the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands on World Wetlands Day.

What is Wetlands?

Wetlands are ecosystems where water is the primary factor controlling the environment and the associated plant and animal life. A broad definition of wetlands includes both freshwater and marine and coastal ecosystems such as all lakes and rivers, underground aquifers, swamps and marshes, wet grasslands, peatlands, oases, estuaries, deltas and tidal flats, mangroves and other coastal areas, coral reefs, and all human-made sites such as fishponds, rice paddies, reservoirs, and saltpans.

These lands are critical to people and nature, given the intrinsic value of these ecosystems, and their benefits and services, including their environmental, climate, ecological, social, economic, scientific, educational, cultural, recreational, and aesthetic contributions to sustainable development and human wellbeing.

Though they cover only around 6 percent of the Earth’s land surface, 40 percent of all plant and animal species live or breed in wetlands. Wetland biodiversity matters for our health, our food supply, tourism, and jobs. Wetlands are vital for humans, other ecosystems, and our climate, providing essential ecosystem services such as water regulation, including flood control and water purification. More than a billion people across the world depend on wetlands for their livelihoods – that’s about one in eight people on Earth.

Why they are in danger?

Wetlands are among the ecosystems with the highest rates of decline, loss, and degradation. Indicators of current negative trends in global biodiversity and ecosystem functions are projected to continue in response to direct and indirect drivers such as rapid human population growth, unsustainable production, and consumption, and associated technological development, as well as the adverse impacts of climate change.

Wetlands are disappearing three times faster than forests and are Earth’s most threatened ecosystem. In just 50 years — since 1970 — 35% of the world’s wetlands have been lost. Human activities that lead to the loss of wetlands include drainage and infilling for agriculture and construction, pollution, overfishing and overexploitation of resources, invasive species, and climate change.

This vicious cycle of wetland loss threatened livelihoods, and deepening poverty is the result of mistakenly seeing wetlands as wastelands rather than life-giving sources of jobs, incomes, and essential ecosystem services. A key challenge is to change mindsets to encourage governments and communities to value and prioritize wetlands.

Quotes

1. “Wetlands are the Earth’s natural sponges, vital for absorbing and filtering water, replenishing aquifers, and maintaining biodiversity.”

2. “Wetlands: where water and land embrace, creating a haven for diverse ecosystems to thrive.”

3. “In the heart of wetlands, nature orchestrates a symphony of life, a delicate dance between water, flora, and fauna.”

4. “Wetlands are not just waterlogged landscapes; they are nature’s laboratories, nurturing life and preserving the delicate balance of our planet.”

5. “Protecting wetlands is safeguarding the cradle of life – a sanctuary for countless species and a source of resilience for our environment.”

6. “Wetlands are the silent custodians of our water resources, silently performing the crucial role of purifying and regulating the flow of life-sustaining waters.”

7. “Let us be stewards of the wetlands, recognizing their irreplaceable value in sustaining life and maintaining ecological harmony.”

8. “Wetlands teach us the beauty of adaptation, as their ecosystems gracefully adjust to the ebb and flow of water, embodying nature’s resilience.”

9. “Wetlands are a testament to the interconnectedness of all living things, where the health of water, soil, and biodiversity are intricately woven together.”

10. “In the embrace of wetlands, we find not only a sanctuary for wildlife but also a source of inspiration for our responsibility as Earth’s caretakers.”

ADVERTISE HERE

Prime Spot!!!

Contact:
advertisingadmin@radioislam.co.za 

Related Articles

Solutions to the Problem

Solutions to the Problem

When we talk about the many wounds inflicted on Mother Earth—climate change, pollution, loss of biodiversity — it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But here’s the truth: The Earth is resilient. She has the power to heal, to renew, and to rebalance — if we let her. The most...

read more
Challenges Facing the Earth

Challenges Facing the Earth

As we reflect on Mother Earth Day, it's only right that we take a long, honest look at the challenges our planet is facing right now. The day might have passed, but the Earth doesn’t stop speaking just because the calendar moves on. Her voice continues — in the rising...

read more
Mother Earth

Mother Earth

The Current State of the Earth Our Mother Earth is not just a planet floating in space. She is the ground beneath our feet, the air in our lungs, the water that flows through our bodies and nourishes our food. She is our home, and right now, she is in distress. When...

read more
International Mother Earth Day

International Mother Earth Day

The History and Spirit of Mother Earth Day April 22 – International Mother Earth Day Every year on April 22, people around the world pause for International Mother Earth Day — a time to reflect on the planet that holds, feeds, and sustains all of us. But beyond the...

read more
Resistance, Survival, and Resilience

Resistance, Survival, and Resilience

In conversations about genocide, the focus is often on destruction — on death tolls, war crimes, and unimaginable suffering. And while it is necessary to confront that brutality head-on, it is just as important to recognize what often goes overlooked: resistance,...

read more
The Role of Propaganda and Dehumanization

The Role of Propaganda and Dehumanization

Genocide doesn’t begin with bullets or bombs — it begins with words. Before a single act of mass killing occurs, societies are prepared through propaganda and dehumanization, two powerful tools that shape how people see each other. These tools pave the way for...

read more

Subscribe to our Newsletter

0 Comments