Wetlands International, the global body mandated to oversee the protection and restoration of wetlands, has sounded the alarm over the accelerating loss and degradation of wetlands worldwide.
The warning was issued during the 20th Ordinary Session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN), currently underway in Nairobi from July 14 to 18.
The organization noted that a wide range of wetlands are under threat, including rivers, lakes, mangroves, marshes, peatlands, and seagrass beds.
“Our Rivers are drying up, our lakes are filling with pollution, and our coastal wetlands are disappearing and people are now feeling the effects of these losses across the continent” said Julie Mulonga, Eastern Africa Director at Wetlands International.
Key findings presented in the report reveal that global wetland degradation is putting an estimated $39 trillion worth of ecosystem benefits at risk.
Since 1970, 22 percent of the world’s remaining wetlands have been lost equivalent to 411 million hectares, or more than half a billion football pitches.
Without urgent intervention, up to one-fifth of the wetlands that remain could disappear by 2050. At present, a quarter of the world’s wetlands are already in poor ecological condition.
The report further notes that reversing this trend will require annual investments ranging from $275 billion to $550 billion.
Mulonga described the Global Wetland Outlook as “a flashing red warning” that wetlands continue to be lost at an alarming rate, with Africa experiencing some of the sharpest declines.
She warned that the consequences are already being felt: families and businesses are grappling with worsening water shortages, farms and fisheries are under pressure, and coastal communities are becoming increasingly vulnerable to storms and rising sea levels.
To counter the trend, Wetlands International and other conservationists are pushing for the formal recognition of the Rights of Wetlands.
The concept proposes that wetlands, like human beings, should have the right to exist, thrive, and be restored.
Advocates are calling for these rights to be embedded in national policies and legal frameworks, which would strengthen protection efforts and change how wetlands are perceived, from wastelands to living systems with intrinsic ecological value.
In Ethiopia, more than 3,300 hectares of wetland have been revived through nature-based solutions while in Kenya, youth-led initiatives have restored 100,000 mangroves while supporting eco-enterprises such as crab farming, beekeeping, and climate-smart agriculture, all contributing to food security.
In Uganda and Tanzania, peatland and mangrove restoration activities in Sango Bay–Minziro and the Rufiji Delta are underway, helping protect essential carbon sinks and improve climate resilience.
With the right support and investment, such initiatives could be expanded across Africa to scale up impact.
The report sets the stage for the upcoming Convention on Wetlands COP15, which will take place in Zimbabwe from July 23 to 31.
Delegates from 172 countries are expected to convene to drive urgent action on the protection of wetlands and their role in sustaining biodiversity, ecological health, and climate stability.
