Wetlands are some of the planet’s most important ecosystems. They’re a haven for wildlife, they filter pollution and they’re important stores of carbon.

But they’re also one of the Earth’s most threatened habitats. Some 85 per cent of wetlands present in 1700 were lost by 2000, many drained to make way for development, farming or other “productive” uses. Disappearing three times faster than forests, their loss spells an existential threat for hundreds of thousands of animal and plant species.

“Healthy wetlands – critical for climate mitigation, adaptation, biodiversity, and human health and prosperity – punch above their weight in terms of benefits,” says Leticia Carvalho, Principal Coordinator for Marine and Freshwater at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). “Making sure that they continue to deliver vital ecosystem services to humanity requires… their prioritization, protection, restoration, better management and monitoring.”

Wetlands are some of the planet’s most important ecosystems. They’re a haven for wildlife, they filter pollution and they’re important stores of carbon.

But they’re also one of the Earth’s most threatened habitats. Some 85 per cent of wetlands present in 1700 were lost by 2000, many drained to make way for development, farming or other “productive” uses. Disappearing three times faster than forests, their loss spells an existential threat for hundreds of thousands of animal and plant species.

“Healthy wetlands – critical for climate mitigation, adaptation, biodiversity, and human health and prosperity – punch above their weight in terms of benefits,” says Leticia Carvalho, Principal Coordinator for Marine and Freshwater at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). “Making sure that they continue to deliver vital ecosystem services to humanity requires… their prioritization, protection, restoration, better management and monitoring.”
2. Arctic peatlands

The northern circumpolar region holds almost half of the world’s soil organic carbon, largely in the form of permanently frozen peat. Given that the Arctic is seeing the fastest rate of global heating, he big fear is that, as the ice around them melts, they degrade and begin to emit masses of stored carbon dioxide as well as methane, potentially causing a catastrophic climate change tipping point.

Lake Van, a saline soda lake, is one of the world's largest endorheic lakes (having no outlet).
Lake Van, a saline soda lake, is one of the world's largest endorheic lakes (having no outlet). Photo: Flickr / Carl Campbell

3. Soda lakes

Most inland wetlands are freshwater ecosystems. Soda lakes, like Lake Van in Turkey and Lake Bogoria in Kenya, are strongly alkaline and contain water that is undrinkable, but they provide valuable ecosystem services, including sought-after minerals and enzymes. These unusual habitats also provide opportunities for recreation, education and research.

Kole Wetlands, Thrissur, Kerala, southern India
Kole Wetlands, Thrissur, Kerala, southern India, one of 47 Ramsar “sites of international importance” in India. The “Kerala backwaters” are a network of brackish lagoons and lakes lying parallel to the Arabian Sea coast. Photo: Manoj Karingamadathil

4. Saltwater marshes

Not all wetlands are freshwater. Saltwater or tidal marshes, found in coastal regions particularly at middle to high latitudes, are important habitats for diverse wildlife, fish reproduction, carbon storage and coastal protection. However, they too are under threat: “Depending on the amount of sea-level rise, 20-90 per cent of current coastal wetlands may be lost by the end of the century,” says UNEP’s Making Peace With Nature report.

Danau Sentarum peatland swamp forest, West Kalimantan Province, Indonesia
Danau Sentarum peatland swamp forest, West Kalimantan Province, Indonesia. Photo: CIFOR / Ramadian Bachtiar

5. Peatland swamp forests

Lowland forest ecosystems, or swamp forests, formed on peat soils are found mainly in the islands of Indonesia and Malaysia. Many of them have been deforested and drained to make way for palm oil plantations but there is growing recognition of their value as wildlife hotspots and carbon sinks. Peatlands cover only 3 per cent of the Earth’s land surface and yet are our largest terrestrial organic carbon store. Protecting and restoring peatlands can reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by 800 million tons per year – equivalent to Germany’s annual emissions, according to a recent UNEP report. Learn more through this virtual journey.


The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030, led by the United Nations Environment Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and partners, covers terrestrial as well as coastal and marine ecosystems. A global call to action, it will draw together political support, scientific research and financial muscle to massively scale up restoration. Find out how you can contribute to the UN Decade.

For more information, please contact Lis Mullin Bernhardt: lis.bernhardt [at] un.org (lis[dot]bernhardt[at]un[dot]org)