Why in news? World Wetlands Day is celebrated each year on 2 February to raise awareness about wetlands.

Highlights

What is World Wetlands Day?

• World Wetlands Day marks the anniversary of the Convention on Wetlands, which was adopted as an international treaty in 1971.

A United Nations International Day

• On 30 August 2021 the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 75/317 that established 2 February as World Wetlands Day

What is the theme for World Wetlands Day in 2023 ?

• “It’s time for Wetland Restoration” the theme for 2023 highlights the urgent need to prioritize wetland restoration.

Organized by:

• The World Wetlands Day awareness campaign is organized by the Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands.
• Contracting Parties of the Convention on Wetlands have been celebrating World Wetlands Day since 1997, when it was first established.

What is Convention on wetland ?

• It is the intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
• It was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar (hence the familiar nicknames “Ramsar Convention” and “Ramsar list”) in 1971 and came into force in 1975

What are Ramsar sites ?

• “The Ramsar sites” list is a special global list of wetlands of international importance.
• It was established in response to the Convention on Wetlands that called on “Each Contracting Party” (member country) to “designate suitable wetlands within its territory for inclusion” in the list.
• India is one of the contracting parties to the Convention, after it signed up on 1 February 1982.
• India has 75 total ramsar wetlands , which is largest in Asia

‘Amrit Dharohar’

• The scheme was announced in 2023 budget for protecting vital wetlands which sustain aquatic biodiversity.
• The scheme aims to achieve sustainable ecosystem development with the help of local communities.
• It is implemented over next 3 years to encourage optimal use of wetlands and enhance biodiversity , carbon stock ,eco-tourism and income generation for local communities

What is a wetland?

• A wetland is a place in which the land is covered by watersalt, fresh, or somewhere in between either seasonally or permanently. It functions as its own distinct ecosystem.
• Wetlands can also be recognized from other types of land or bodies of water primarily by the vegetation that has adapted to wet soil.