This is the key finding of the first-ever Global Wetland Outlook by the Ramsar Convention, a globally treaty ratified by countries to protect wetlands and promote their wise use. Wetlands include some of the most carbon-dense ecosystems in our planet, such as salt marshes, sea grass beds and mangroves. Wetlands also help reduce disaster risk, as they mitigate floods and protect coastlines. Despite their essential role in global climate regulation, wetlands remain undervalued by policy and decision-makers in national plans.
Losses have been driven by megatrends such as climate change, population increase, urbanization, particularly of coastal zones and river deltas, and changing consumption patterns that have all fueled changes to land and water use and to agriculture.
Wetlands are critical to human and planet life. Coastal watersheds contain both freshwater left and saltwater right wetlands. In the coastal watersheds of the Atlantic, Pacific, the Gulf of Mexico and the Great Lakes, wetlands were lost at an average rate of about 80, acres per year between and This analysis concluded that more than 80, acres of coastal wetlands are being lost on average each year, up from about 59, acres lost per year in the previous study covering to A majority of this loss occurred in freshwater wetlands.
Coastal wetland losses occur as a result of both human activity and natural processes. Human Activity: Human activities which may lead to losses of coastal wetlands include urban and rural development, agriculture, and silviculture.
These land use changes can also indirectly impact nearby wetlands by altering hydrology through increased runoff or water withdrawals in the watershed. Most of this loss occurs in freshwater wetlands. Over half of the U. Natural Processes: Coastal wetlands, especially estuarine and marine wetlands, are naturally altered by high energy events such as erosion and inundation from sea level rise and storms. The impacts of these processes may be magnified by climate change and shoreline armoring.
Estuarine wetlands typically protect the coastline from erosion and flooding, but if sea level increases and development prevents inland migration of wetlands, more wetlands will be converted to open water. Freshwater Wetlands Losses and Gains. Post-loss Land Cover Type. For general feedback, use the public comments section below please adhere to guidelines.
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Fifty percent of the world's wetlands have been destroyed in the last years, a new report said. This document is subject to copyright.
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