Wetlands are our planet’s lifelines – connecting ecosystems, sustaining biodiversity, mitigating climate change, and supporting human well-being. These unique ecosystems cover only about 6% of the Earth’s surface, but their well-being has impacts far beyond their physical boundaries.  

Peatlands, swamps, marshes, mangroves, lakes, and rivers are not isolated landscapes; they are living networks that influence the planet’s carbon and water cycles, protect us against the worst impacts of our changing climate, and sustain the web of life. When wetlands thrive, so do the ecosystems, species, and communities that depend on them. 

Wetlands and the Carbon Cycle: Stabilizing Global Climate 

The carbon cycle is the continuous movement of carbon through the atmosphere, land, water, and living organisms. When this cycle is in balance, life flourishes. Wetlands play an outsized role in this process, quietly working as nature’s most effective carbon sinks – storing more carbon than forests and grasslands combined. 

Peatlands, for example, cover just 3% of Earth’s land surface, but store 550 gigatons of carbon – twice as much as all the world’s forests’ biomass combined. Coastal wetlands like mangroves, tidal marshes, and seagrasses, often called “blue carbon ecosystems” are even more powerful, sequestering up to 10 times more carbon per hectare annually than tropical rainforests.  

But when wetlands are degraded, they release this stored carbon, tipping the balance of the carbon cycle. Drained peatlands alone emit almost 2 billion tonnes of CO₂, equivalent to twice the emissions of global aviation. Restoring just a fraction of degraded peatlands could cut global emissions by 800 million metric tonnes annually, the same as eliminating the entire carbon footprint of Germany. 

Every wetland lost disrupts this natural equilibrium, intensifying the climate crisis. But every wetland protected strengthens our planet’s resilience.   

Wetlands and the Water Cycle: Securing Freshwater for the Planet 

Wetlands are nature’s water regulators, storing and filtering the freshwater that sustains all life. Though 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered in water, only 2.7% is freshwater, and most of that is locked in glaciers. Nearly all of the Earth’s accessible freshwater is contained in wetlands, including about a third in rivers and lakes.  

Take the Pantanal wetlands in South America—the largest tropical wetland. By regulating the flow of the Paraguay River, they sustain both the Amazon rainforest and local farming communities. Without wetlands, global water security for 2.5 billion people would be at risk 

Wetlands and Human Safety: Shielding Against Climate Extremes 

With a rapidly accelerating climate crisis, wetlands are our first line of defence. Mangroves and seagrasses shield coastal communities, reducing storm surges and preventing billions of dollars in flood damages each year. Globally, mangroves are known to protect over 15 million people and prevent $65 billion in annual flood damages annually. There are over 100 coastal areas where mangroves avert $100 million or more in property damages every year.  

Inland wetlands, like floodplains and marshes, act as natural sponges. They store water when rains are heavy and release it slowly during dry periods, helping to prevent both floods and droughts. This buffer is vital for farmers and pastoralists, who depend on steady water supplies for their crops.  

Every degraded wetland increases the vulnerability of nearby communities, raising the cost of recovery and making people less resilient to the impacts of climate change. Keeping wetlands intact is a matter of safety, stability, and survival. 

Wetlands and Livelihoods: Supporting Human Economies and Cultures 

Wetlands are the engines of local economies—directly sustaining millions of livelihoods. From fishing communities to rice farming, wetlands are the backbone of numerous economies. They provide resources, employment, and form cultural identities, linking people to nature in ways both seen and unseen. 

Across the world, people rely on wetlands for fish, shellfish, and aquatic plants that not only feed local populations but also fuel regional and international markets. In the Mekong Delta, for instance, fisheries supported by wetlands contribute significantly to Vietnam’s economy, sustaining millions of small-scale fishers and traders. Similarly, the mangroves in South Africa provide livelihoods for communities engaged in honey collection, crab fishing, and ecotourism, offering sustainable income while maintaining the health of mangrove ecosystems. 

Even the tourism industry is deeply intertwined with wetlands. Whether it’s birdwatchers visiting the Everglades or travellers seeking peace in coastal sanctuaries, nearly half of all international tourists are drawn to wetland areas, supporting over 266 million jobs. 

When wetlands decline, so do the livelihoods and cultures built around them. Protecting them isn’t just about conservation—it’s about sustaining people’s way of life. 

Wetlands and Global Feedback Loops: Connecting Ecosystems Worldwide 

The impacts of wetland degradation are not confined to their immediate surroundings. Draining peatlands accelerates permafrost thaw in the Arctic, releasing methane and carbon dioxide into the air. Coastal erosion weakens mangroves, reducing their ability to act as carbon sinks and amplifying economic losses for millions. When a wetland disappears, the delicate balance of interconnected ecosystems begins to unravel.  

Yet, when a wetland is restored, the benefits spread far beyond its boundaries. Every wetland protected or restored strengthens the resilience of interconnected ecosystems, and ensures a more stable climate, water resilience, food security, and thriving nature. 

This World Wetlands Day, as the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands spotlights the need to safeguard wetlands for our common future, we must recognize that wetlands are not separate from us. They are part of the intricate web that sustains all life—including us. 

Wetlands are at the heart of human and planetary well-being – deeply interconnected with solutions for biodiversity loss, climate action, and water resilience – sustaining the delicate balance between people, nature, and our shared future.