{"id":5091,"date":"2020-05-11T09:06:21","date_gmt":"2020-05-11T08:06:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/?p=5091"},"modified":"2020-05-11T09:49:30","modified_gmt":"2020-05-11T08:49:30","slug":"a-world-without-wetlands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/a-world-without-wetlands\/5091\/","title":{"rendered":"A world without wetlands is a world without water"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Innovation Platform<\/em> speaks to Wetlands International Europe about how healthy and restored wetlands can contribute as nature-based solutions to the European Green Deal.<\/h2>\n

Wetlands International Europe (WIE) welcomes the European Commission\u2019s Green deal<\/a> and calls for an additional step forward by committing to draft and approve a restoration plan for Europe, in which wetlands have a prominent place.<\/p>\n

Wetlands International Europe<\/a> is an association of 10 NGOs from six European countries, working together to support improved EU policy development and implementation as a means to improve practices and investments regarding wetland ecosystems and sustainable water management. They use the expertise of their members and of their global network to inform EU policy and decision-makers, and then in turn inform their members and global partners on the implications that EU policy developments may have for them.<\/p>\n

Engaging with different networks and working in partnership with a wide range of stakeholders simultaneously allows WIE to have a broad understanding of existing and upcoming environmental issues and of the role of the EU in addressing or exacerbating them. Ultimately, the association wants to ensure that wetlands are safeguarded and restored for people and nature. Moreover, the member organisations and networks have different geographical focuses, working in the whole of Europe, from North to South, East to West, in EU countries and in neighbouring and candidate countries.<\/p>\n

WIE members and networks also work in different scales of operation and influence: from the global, to the EU, to the sub-regional, to the national or local level, engaging with different sectors, cultures and languages, in rural and urban settings. What binds all this richness and diversity together is WIE’s common focus on wetlands, common goals, and the common understanding of the need to address water and biodiversity issues in an integrated manner.<\/p>\n

The Innovation Platform<\/em><\/a> speaks to WIE’s Head of office & Programme Manager, Yurena Lorenzo, about how healthy and restored wetlands can contribute as nature-based solutions to the European Green Deal, in particular to the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030.<\/p>\n

To begin, can you give us an introduction into wetlands?<\/h3>\n

Wetlands occur where water meets land. They include mangroves, peatlands and marshes, rivers and lakes, deltas, floodplains and flooded forests, rice-fields, and even coral reefs. Wetlands exist in every country and in every climatic zone, from the polar regions to the tropics, and from high altitudes to dry regions. Wetlands and the life they support are being damaged and lost faster than any other ecosystem, with global losses of over 64% since 1900. This loss is accelerating, with the greatest impacts in locations and regions where development pressures are most intense. Conversion of wetlands for other land uses, changes in flooding patterns and pollution are among the biggest causes of wetland loss and degradation.<\/p>\n

Wetlands cover a small percentage of the earth\u2019s surface, yet they are essential systems \u2013 they are the arteries and veins of the landscape. They are rich in nature and vital to human life, and act as water sources and purifiers. They protect our shores and are the planet\u2019s greatest natural carbon stores. They are also crucial to agriculture and fisheries.<\/p>\n

What is your feedback in terms of the EU 2030 biodiversity strategy roadmap?<\/h3>\n

The Communication on \u201cThe European Green Deal\u201d released by the European Commission in December 2019 is a positive step towards integrated efforts to protect natural resources and biodiversity. WIE welcomes this effort but calls the EU for an additional step forward by committing to draft and approve a restoration plan for Europe, in which wetlands have a prominent place.<\/p>\n

Healthy and restored wetlands can contribute as nature-based solutions to the European Green Deal, in particular to the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030. These healthy freshwater ecosystems support abundant biodiversity, climate resilience and the sustainability of our water systems. Yet Europe\u2019s wetlands and their biodiversity face an emergency just as acute as the EU\u2019s climate emergency. Wetlands comprise approximately 2% of the EU\u2019s territory (12.5% at pan-European level) and 4.3% of the Natura 2000 area and are among the most threatened ecosystems in Europe \u2013 being lost three times as fast as forests, as 35% have disappeared since 1970. This comes at an enormous cost and a loss of the valuable services they provide, directly impacting Europe\u2019s greenhouse gas emissions, quality and quantity of our waters and biodiversity.<\/p>\n

Our key recommendations for the EU are as follows:<\/p>\n

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  1. The Biodiversity Strategy 2030 can and should recognise the importance of wetlands and prioritise actions to protect, restore and sustainably manage these ecosystems, by:<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n