Union Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) celebrated World Wetlands Day 2025 on 2nd February at the Parvati Arga Ramsar Site in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh (UP).

ABOUT WORLD WETLAND DAY

  • World Wetlands Day is celebrated annually to raise awareness about the vital role of wetlands in sustaining biodiversity, protecting water resources, and combating climate change.
  • The day marks the adoption of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands on 2nd February 1971 in Ramsar, Iran.
  • This international treaty aims to protect wetlands worldwide by recognizing their ecological significance.

Theme for 2025:

  • The theme for World Wetlands Day 2025 is "Protecting Wetlands for our Common Future."

NEW SITES ADDED

4 New Ramsar Sites Added explained for UPSC
  • Significance:
    • These four sites bring India's total Ramsar Sites to 89.
    • Notably, this is the first Ramsar Site in Sikkim and Jharkhand.
    • Tamil Nadu has the highest number of Ramsar Sites (20 sites), followed by Uttar Pradesh with 10 sites.
ABOUT AMRIT DHAROHAR INITIATIVE Launched in June 2023, the Amrit Dharohar Initiative focuses on conserving wetlands, especially Ramsar Sites, through key components such as:
  1. Species and Habitat Conservation
  2. Nature Tourism
  3. Wetlands Livelihood
  4. Wetlands Carbon (Carbon Sequestration)

THREATS TO WETLANDS

  • Pollution from industrial effluents and untreated sewage is one of the biggest threats to wetlands worldwide.
  • This pollution disrupts the delicate ecosystems, affecting water quality, biodiversity, and the livelihood of local communities.