As world gathers for Wetlands COP15, hosts Zimbabwe commit to major wetland restoration and protection
As delegates from over 170 countries arrive for the Convention on Wetlands COP15 in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe announced ambitious targets for restoration and protection of its wetlands – highlighting the central role healthy wetlands play in water and food security, sustaining wildlife and livelihoods, and adapting to the worsening impacts of climate change.
Speaking at the opening press conference, Zimbabwe Minister of Environment, Climate and Wildlife Dr Evelyn Ndlovu announced that Zimbabwe will restore 250,000 hectares of degraded wetlands by 2030 and protect critical freshwater wetlands by creating 5 new Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance.
The commitments are another major boost for the Freshwater Challenge – the world’s largest freshwater restoration and protection initiative. Zimbabwe is one of the Challenge’s 50 current Country Members.
“Zimbabwe has set the tone for this pivotal Wetlands COP by announcing ambitious wetland restoration and protection targets on the eve of the conference,” said Coenraad Krijger, CEO, Wetlands International, who is in Victoria Falls for COP15. “This is the leadership we need to galvanize action here at the COP, and inspire national and global efforts to reverse the catastrophic loss of the world’s wetlands – and safeguard their priceless and irreplaceable benefits for people, nature and climate.
Founded in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971, the Convention on Wetlands is the world’s oldest international biodiversity convention. This year, 172 countries will meet to agree resolutions to protect, restore and wisely use wetlands – alongside hundreds of other delegates from NGOs, communities, businesses and financial institutions.
COP15 comes at a critical time. From rivers to reefs, peatlands to ponds, and marshes to mangroves, healthy wetlands are essential for people, nature and climate. But they are being lost at an alarming rate, with the Global Wetland Outlook highlighting that 22% of wetlands have been lost since 1970 – while an astounding 85% of freshwater species populations have been lost over the same period.
Healthy wetlands underpin our societies and economies, sustain countless species and ecosystems, and are critical to a stable climate. They provide us with water and food. They protect cities and communities from floods, droughts and storms. They directly support the livelihoods of a billion people as well as extraordinarily rich biodiversity. They store vast amounts of carbon and are central to efforts to adapt to the worsening impacts of climate change, reduce disaster risk and build longer term resilience.
The world urgently need to scale up investment in protecting, restoring and sustainably managing wetlands, including redirecting financing and shifting incentives away from destructive activities and towards investments that enhance wetlands.
The Wetlands COP15 is a key step on the road to accelerating national and global action on wetlands.
“We warmly welcome this major investment in the health of Zimbabwe’s wetlands, which are essential for our communities and economy,” said Itai Chibaya, WWF-Zimbabwe Country Director. “Minister Ndlovu has signaled that Zimbabwe will be a champion of wetlands as president of the Wetlands Convention over the next three years. Hopefully, this announcement will encourage other countries to commit to similarly ambitious goals for their wetlands here at COP15.”