The evidence is in and it’s crystal clear: restoration of rivers and wetlands benefits biodiversity, water supply, pollution reduction, flood risk reduction, carbon storage, food security and recreation.

It’s all in a new report, commissioned by WWF, which collected evidence and case studies from more than 30 countries across 6 continents to demonstrate the importance of rivers and wetlands not only environmentally but fiscally, and how they can be restored.

Experts are now calling for a massive ramping up of funding for river and wetland restoration – and for governments and companies to support the Freshwater Challenge – to accelerate action.

Societal benefits of large-scale river and wetland restoration provides policy makers and business leaders with crucial evidence to show that investing in restoration of rivers and wetlands worldwide can act as a critical natural solution for both climate adaptation and sustainable development with a range of positive impacts.  

The report – which is accompanied by a joint briefing paper on the benefits of restoration developed by WWF in collaboration Conservation International, IUCN and Wetlands International – considers a range of ways in which restoration can be achieved. For example, re-establishing natural flows of water, reducing pollution from fertilisers, replanting trees or reconnecting rivers to their floodplains. 

Examples of effective restoration initiatives include: 

• In a global review of 88 freshwater restoration projects, 80% of projects reviewed demonstrated enhanced ecosystems services – specifically improved water quality and retention of nutrients.
• A nationwide study in the US found that US$1 invested in floodplain restoration today can avoid about US$5 in future flood losses.
• In South Africa, removing invasive vegetation increased annual water yield by 34.4 million cubic metres, about 42% of the output of a new dam and for less than 20% of the cost per cubic metre.
• In Bangladesh’s Hail Haor wildlife sanctuary, managed fish refuges and seasonal closures of the wetland increased fish catch by about 88% and raised fish consumption among poorer households. 

Restoration is vital because the world’s wetlands are under threat. Since 1970 the world has lost a third of its healthy wetlands and an 85% decline in freshwater wildlife populations. This is the worst decline of any habitat type. Wetlands are facing damage from over-abstraction of water, fragmentation of rivers by dams and other infrastructure, land-use change, pollution, aquatic invasive species, over-harvesting and the climate crisis.

This decline has led not only to collapse in freshwater wildlife populations but also material risks to human wellbeing, economic development and international water security. 

To restore these essential landscapes possible, experts are calling for a massive ramping up of investment in river and wetlands. This includes for governments and companies to support the Freshwater Challenge, an initiative supported by 54 countries  to restore 300,000 kilometres of degraded rivers and 350 million hectares of degraded wetlands by 2030. The Challenge aims to substantiate, elevate and accelerate targeted interventions for rivers, lakes and other inland wetlands, connecting these with national plans and strategies