23 August 2024 : Daily Answer Writing
Q1) What role does wetland play in expanding the framework of sustainable development? What are the challenges faced by wetland ecosystem? Discuss the corrective steps required for their effective conservation.
(250 Words/15 Marks)
ANS
Wetlands are a distinct ecosystem of land areas saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally.
Examples include mangroves, peatlands, marshes, floodplains and rice-fields. Globally, wetlands cover 6.4% of the geographical area of the world. In India, wetlands make up 4.63% of the total geographical area of the country.
Role of Wetlands in achieving sustainable development is as follows:
- Clean water and sanitation: Wetlands provide directly or indirectly most of the world’s freshwater for consumption and irrigation through functions like groundwater recharge. Wetlands purify and filter harmful waste from water. E.g., Nakivubo Swamp in Uganda.
- Hunger and Nutrition: Rice is grown in wetland paddies. Fish depend on coastal wetlands for part of their life cycle.
- Livelihood: Wetlands are critical for commercial fishing, agriculture and tourism industry which are employment-intensive.
- Wetlands can provide mitigation measures against climate change
E.g., Peatlands cover an estimated 3% of the world’s land surface area but store 30% of all carbon stored on land.
- Mangroves, coral reefs and floodplains prevent flood disasters during extreme weather events.
They can be part of adaptation measures against the increasing frequency of such incidents.
Wetland ecosystems are significant for sustainable development, but they are faced with various threats such as:
- Climate change: Increasing temperatures, desertification, frequent droughts can cause drying up of wetlands.
- Agricultural practices: Agricultural runoff from pesticides introduces toxins like mercury, arsenic to water sources. Conversion of wetland to cultivable land, loss of integrated farming practices are a threat to wetland ecosystems.
- Over-exploitation of wetland resources is happening due to population stress in the form of realestate sector, waste discharge, landfilling etc. E.g., studies on lakes in Bengaluru show that 66% of lakes are sewage-fed, 14% are surrounded by slums and 72% saw loss of catchment area.
- Invasion of alien species into wetlands causes rapid degradation such as water hyacinth and salvinia
- Deforestation causes erosion of topsoil and siltation. Sand mining also deteriorates the health of the wetland ecosystems.
In the light of serious threats to wetlands, conservation of wetland ecosystems can be done through the following measures:
- Administrative coordination: Various types and components of wetland are diffused under various ministries like forest, waterways, irrigation, tourism etc. Integrated approach in planning, execution and monitoring is needed to conserve wetlands
- Urbanization based on green infrastructure of planned wetland and city forests can increase the number of wetlands and the access to associated ecosystem services.
- Stakeholder consultation: Address the drivers of wetland degradation by engaging with stakeholders including the community, academicians and professionals such as ecologists, economists, watershed management specialists, and decision-makers.
- Enhance implementation through measures such as scientific guidance, communications, international cooperation and capacity building.
- Awareness generation about the importance of wetlands in local schools, colleges and among the general public would help in increasing local support for conservation. Issues like dumping of waste and sand-mining can also be addressed.
- Popularization of the network of Ramsar Sites for tourism can improve finances for effective conservation and management.
The loss of wetlands would lead to ecological and developmental problems. Conservation and wise-use of wetlands through local and national actions and international cooperation is essential for sustainable development. Recent addition of important wetlands in Ramsar list (total 75) augurs well for the conservation of wetlands in the country.
