The world’s wetlands are disappearing at the fastest rate of any ecosystem, with a new report warning of major economic losses if urgent action is not taken.
The destruction of wetlands worldwide could lead to a loss of $39 trillion in economic benefits by 2050, according to a report released on Tuesday by the Convention on Wetlands.
Wetlands play a crucial role in supporting fisheries, agriculture, flood regulation, water purification, and carbon storage. The report states that around 22% of global wetlands have vanished since 1970, marking the most rapid decline among ecosystems.
The losses affect both freshwater and coastal systems, including rivers, peatlands, mangroves, and coral reefs. The report identifies several contributing factors: land-use changes, pollution, agricultural expansion, invasive species, and climate change impacts such as sea level rise and drought.
Hugh Robertson, the lead author of the report, warned that the extent of degradation is significant and cannot be overlooked.
The report calls for annual investments ranging from $275 billion to $550 billion to reverse the decline. It notes, however, that current global spending remains considerably below the required level.
Since 1970, an estimated 411 million hectares of wetlands have been lost — an area equal to roughly half a billion football pitches. Additionally, 25% of remaining wetlands are now considered degraded.
The findings come ahead of a global meeting of the parties to the Convention on Wetlands, set to take place next week in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. The convention, signed by 172 countries including China, the United States, and Russia, was established in 1971 and meets every three years. It remains unclear whether all signatories will participate in the upcoming session.
According to the report, wetland degradation is most severe in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, though signs of decline are increasingly visible in Europe and North America.
Some countries, including Zambia, Cambodia and China, have initiated wetland restoration projects aimed at reversing the damage.
The death of a laboratory employee at a Russian plague research institute in Siberia has triggered a major public health response and international...
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of a deadly drone strike on a Türkiye-owned cargo ship in the Black Sea, killing it...
Regional powers gathered in Moscow on Monday for talks on Afghanistan, focusing on security, economic cooperation and Kabul’s relations with ...
Iran's Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad has resigned, with Hamid Bovard, chief executive of the state-owned National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), appointed as acting oil minister, according to Iranian state media.
Right-wing Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro will face leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in a runoff of the presidential election later this month, after he exceeded expectations in Sunday's first-round vote with a slight lead over the incumbent.
Candidates elected to Bosnia and Herzegovina's three-member presidency declared victory after preliminary unofficial results showed Denis Becirovic leading the Bosniak seat, Darijana Filipovic ahead in the Croat seat and Zeljka Cvijanovic likely retaining the Serb seat.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States meets seven conditions agreed under a June memorandum, as President Donald Trump signals he may soon decide whether to resume military operations against Tehran.
Uzbekistan’s grape exports have grown rapidly. In January-August 2025, the country exported 86,200 tonnes of fresh grapes worth $78.3 million to 19 countries but can it turn these crops into a recognisable international product?
Türkiye’s COP31 presidency has unveiled an action agenda designed to turn climate commitments into concrete projects and measurable results, focusing on clean energy, waste reduction, resilient cities and industrial decarbonisation.
Greenland and Antarctica have shed a combined 11.3 trillion tonnes of ice since 1979, according to the most comprehensive satellite study of the planet's ice sheets to date, with researchers warning the pace of loss has accelerated sharply in recent decades.
The European Union will continue allowing large-scale plastic waste exports to Türkiye despite concerns over recycling rates, environmental damage and the risk of illegal waste trafficking.
Hundreds of thousands of deep-diving turtles, known as olive ridley sea turtles, have arrived on Mexico’s southern coast for one of nature’s most striking nesting events. But conservation officials warn that climate change is making it increasingly difficult for their eggs to hatch.
August 2026 tied as the hottest month ever recorded globally, pushing average temperatures above the critical 1.5°C threshold as extreme weather swept across several regions, the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service said.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment