On 4th February 2023, Union Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, launched the ‘Save Wetlands Campaign’, a campaign structured on a “whole of society” approach for wetlands conservation, during the National level Celebration of World Wetlands Day at Nanda Lake in Goa.
- World Wetlands Day 2023 was observed on 2nd February 2023. The day is annually observed on 2nd February to mark the signing of the Ramsar convention on Wetlands of International importance.
- The 2023 theme for World Wetlands Day is ‘Wetland Restoration’.
Key People:
Chief Minister of Goa, Pramod Sawant, dignitaries from the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change and the Government of Goa participated in the celebration event and visited the Nanda Lake, the first Ramsar Site of Goa, to oversee the efforts of conservation and management.
About ‘Save Wetlands Campaign’:
i.The ‘Save Wetlands Campaign’ will enable affirmative actions for wetlands conservation at all levels of society and involve all strata of society.
ii.This 1-year campaign will include creating awareness about the importance of wetlands among the people and increasing the coverage of wetlands mitras and establishing citizen partnerships for wetlands conservation.
Highlights of the event:
During the event, The “India’s 75 Amrit Dharohar- India’s Ramsar Sites Factbook” and “Managing Climate Risks in Wetlands – A Practitioner’s Guide” booklets were also released.
- These factbooks feature the collection of data on the 75 Ramsar sites in India, including information on their values, risks they are exposed to, and management practices.
- The Practitioner’s Guide on Climate Risk Assessment provides a step by step instructions for evaluating the climate risks specific to a given site and incorporating adaptation and mitigation measures into the wetland management plan.
Key Points:
i.India has been a party to the Convention since 1982 and has designated 75 wetlands in 23 states and union territories(UTs) as Ramsar sites.
ii.India has the largest network of Ramsar Sites in Asia, making these sites a critical ecological network for the conservation of global biological diversity and supporting human well-being.
Mission Sahbhagita:
Mission Sahbhagita was launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in 2022 to promote a healthy and effectively managed network of 75 wetlands of national and international significance, which support water and food security; buffer from floods, droughts, cyclones and other extreme events; employment generation; conservation of species of local, national and international significance; climate change mitigation and adaptation actions; and recognition, conservation and celebration of cultural heritage
Note: The government of India has taken various green initiatives in the Budget 2023-2024 which includes, Amrit Dharohar, MISHTI, PM PRANAM, Green credit and Green Growth aligned with Mission LiFE(Lifestyle for the Environment).
World Wetlands Day celebration in India:
World Wetlands Day (WWD) 2023 was celebrated by the State Governments and Union Territory administrations at all 75 Ramsar Sites across India with more than 200 events.
Recent Related News:
The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has formed a nine-member Task Force to monitor the introduction of Cheetahs in Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh and other suitably specified locations.
About Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC):
Union Minister– Bhupender Yadav
Minister of State– Ashwini Kumar Choubey
