The value and importance of wetlands
Wetlands are very important ecosystems, increasing biodiversity, contributing to mitigating and adapting to climate change, maintaining available freshwater resources, providing raw materials for the economy ; maintaining life, ensuring prosperity and survival of humans on Earth.
Although wetlands only account for 0.75% of the world's freshwater, they directly supply water for human activities. They ensure the world's water supply through the process of capturing and storing rainwater, replenishing underground aquifers, regulating water levels, keeping watersheds clean, providing safe drinking water naturally; helping cities and villages to be protected from destruction by storms.
Wetlands play a very important role for humans and nature because they can filter toxic substances; store carbon to help combat the impacts of climate change; help minimize negative impacts in extreme weather conditions; store rainwater, runoff water during storms to help reduce floods and support water supply during droughts; ensure biodiversity, are habitats for more than 100,000 species of organisms; ensure food supply and create livelihoods for people. Currently, wetlands provide rice for 3.5 billion people in the world; more than 1 billion people currently live on wetlands; up to 40% of living species live or depend on wetlands.
When humans destroy wetlands, they destroy life itself. Yet wetlands are disappearing three times faster than forests and are the most threatened ecosystem on Earth. In just 50 years, since 1970, 35% of the world’s wetlands have been lost.
To protect wetlands, the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar Convention) was established in 1971. This is an international treaty with the mission of "conservation and wise use of wetlands through local, regional, national actions and international cooperation, contributing to the achievement of sustainable development goals worldwide" with the participation of 172 member countries.
Vietnam is the first Southeast Asian country to become a member of the Ramsar Convention since 1989. In recent times, Vietnam has issued many policies and legal documents on wetland management to internalize the provisions of the Convention, and at the same time, implemented many activities to conserve and wisely use wetlands nationwide. Recently, on November 24, 2021, the Prime Minister approved Decision No. 1975/QD-TTg promulgating the National Action Plan on the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands for the period 2021 - 2030 with the goal of conserving and sustainably using biodiversity and ecosystem services of wetlands, contributing to sustainable socio-economic development, responding to climate change, protecting the environment, conserving nature, biodiversity and fulfilling the obligations of a member state of the Ramsar Convention.
Lang Sen Wetland Reserve (Long An).
According to the Ramsar Convention Secretariat, World Wetlands Day 2022 is a milestone of special significance, because on August 30, 2021, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution to designate February 2 of each year as World Wetlands Day, opening the way for a larger global vision for wetlands.
The Ramsar Convention Secretariat has invited all 193 United Nations member states to participate in organizing and responding to World Wetlands Day activities on February 2, 2022 with the theme “Wetlands Action for People and Nature: Value, Manage, Restore, and Love – Wetlands” to call for increased efforts and investment in the conservation, management and restoration of wetlands as an effective solution to prevent climate and biodiversity crises.
Action to protect and restore wetlands
In response to the proposal of the Ramsar Convention Secretariat and the call of the United Nations General Assembly on mobilizing the participation of the whole society in the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands, on January 10, 2022, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment requested the units to direct the organization of propaganda and dissemination of the value and importance of wetlands for human life and nature, and at the same time call on all people to commit to protecting and sustainably using wetlands, strengthening the management and restoration of wetlands and activities showing love for wetlands.
Conduct appropriate communication activities, organize celebrations, competitions, exhibitions or launch movements related to the theme of World Wetlands Day 2022 in accordance with the current situation and COVID-19 prevention and control work.
Integrate content on wetland value protection, management, restoration and sustainable use of wetlands into development programs, plans, projects of ministries, branches and localities.
Accelerate investment solutions in wetland conservation, management and restoration to prevent climate and biodiversity crises.
Documents on the theme of World Wetlands Day 2022 and activities to celebrate World Wetlands Day 2022 by localities are registered and posted on the Ramsar Convention's website: https://www.worldwetlandsday.org.
After completing the organization activities to respond to the celebration of World Wetlands Day 2022, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment requests that units send information on implementation results to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment for synthesis and reporting to the Ramsar Convention Secretariat.
Source: https://soxaydung.caobang.gov.vn/tin-tuc-su-kien/huong-ung-ngay-dat-ngap-nuoc-the-gioi-nam-2022-863188
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