ZIMBABWE yesterday joined the world in celebrating World Wetlands Day (WWD) which observes the vital connection between wetlands and human wellbeing.
WWD is commemorated to mark the signing of the Treaty on the Conservation of Wetlands which was signed on February 2, 1971, in Ramsar, Iran.
The treaty became popularly known as the Ramsar Convention and it aims to raise public awareness on the conservation, proper utilisation and management of wetlands and their resources.
This years WWD ran under the theme, “Wetlands and Wellbeing” which emphasises the relationship between wetlands and human wellbeing. Speaking at the celebrations today at Haka Game Park in Harare, Minister of State for Provincial Aairs and Devolution Charles Tavengwa said The Ramsar Convention, which is the only international treaty focused on wetlands, provides a platform of 170 contracting parties working together for wetlands conservation and wise use, and to develop the best available data, advice and policy recommendations to realise the benefits of fully functional wetlands to nature and society. “Wetlands contribute to human wellbeing in various ways, including providing essential ecosystem services such as water purification, flood control, and habitat for diverse flora and fauna,” he said.
“They also support livelihoods through activities such as fishing and tourism. Furthermore, wetlands play a critical role in climate regulation by sequestering carbon and mitigating the impacts of climate change. The contributions that wetlands make to human well-being have oen been overlooked or under appreciated. “Consequently, wetland management has been underplayed in development planning. Stakeholders in one sector make decisions based on narrow and short-term interests, losing opportunities to achieve multiple benefits, and causing further wetland loss and degradation.”