Why We Must Restore the World's Disappearing Wetland Ecosystems

Today is World Wetlands Day. Few people outside of conservation circles are perhaps aware of this, but it’s significance has never been greater.

“Nearly 90 percent of the world’s wetlands have been degraded or lost. We are losing wetlands three times faster than forests. There is an urgency to raise global awareness on wetlands to arrest and reverse their rapid loss and encourage actions to restore and conserve these vital ecosystems.”

Dr. Musonda Mumba, Secretary General for the Convention on Wetlands

National Geographic defines wetlands as “an area of land that is either covered with water or saturated with water.” Organized primarily by the Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands, this year’s campaign focuses on the urgent need to revive and restore the planet’s degraded wetlands.

The vital role they play

While they comprise just 6% of the Earth’s land surface, 40% of all plant and animal species live or breed in wetlands.

What we can do

For those of you who are familiar with Huawei’s TECH4ALL initiative ⁠— specifically the environmental domain ⁠— you’ll be aware that we have a long-term commitment to developing cutting-edge tech-based solutions to help overcome environmental challenges, including in wetland ecosystems, with global partners such as Rainforest Connection and IUCN:

Austria, Lake Neusiedl National Park: The project involves the bioacoustics monitoring of wading birds & freshwater ponds to study the impact of climate change on the reed belt, which has shrunk by one-third, and to safeguard biodiversity. Learn more.

Mexico, Dzilam State Reserve, Yucatan Peninsula: This project applies both bioacoustics monitoring and infrared cameras to monitor and study 28 priority species, including the endangered North American jaguar. Up to 80% of the reserve’s rainforest area has been degraded or destroyed. Learn more.

Italy, Astroni Crater, Naples: Comprising three lakes and a well-preserved Mediterranean forest, Astroni Crater is home to 130 species of birds, and rich populations of amphibians, reptiles, and insects. Bioacoustics monitoring is used to study biodiversity and prevent illegal activities such as logging and poaching. Learn more.

What you can do

Learn more about World Wetlands Day 2023.

Disclaimer: Any views and/or opinions expressed in this post by individual authors or contributors are their personal views and/or opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views and/or opinions of Huawei Technologies.