World Wildlife Day 2015, March 3

Theme 2015 : Wildlife crime : Let's End it Now! 

World Wildlife Day, March 3.

Día Mundial de la Naturaleza, 3 de marzo.

 Journée mondiale de la vie sauvage, 3 mars.

世界野生动植物日, 3月3日.

Всемирный день дикой природы, 3 марта.

يوم العالمي للحياة البرية

United Nations Secretary-General's Message for the World Wildlife Day 2015.

The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed 3 March – the anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) – as World Wildlife Day.  On this second observance of the Day, the UN system, its Member States and a wide range of partners from around the world are highlighting the simple yet firm message that “It’s time to get serious about wildlife crime”.
Illegal trade in wildlife has become a sophisticated transnational form of crime, comparable to other pernicious examples, such as trafficking of drugs, humans, counterfeit items and oil.  It is driven by rising demand, and is often facilitated by corruption and weak governance.  There is strong evidence of the increased involvement of organized crime networks and non-State armed groups.
Illegal wildlife trade undermines the rule of law and threatens national security; it degrades ecosystems and is a major obstacle to the efforts of rural communities and indigenous peoples striving to sustainably manage their natural resources.  Combatting this crime is not only essential for conservation efforts and sustainable development, it will contribute to achieving peace and security in troubled regions where conflicts are fuelled by these illegal activities.
Getting serious about wildlife crime means enrolling the support of all sections of society involved in the production and consumption of wildlife products, which are widely used as medicines, food, building materials, furniture, cosmetics, clothing and accessories.  Law enforcement efforts must be supported by the wider community.  Businesses and the general public in all countries can play a major role by, for example, refusing to buy or auction illegal ivory and rhinoceros horn, and insisting that products from the world’s oceans and tropical forests have been legally obtained and sustainably sourced. 
On this World Wildlife Day, I urge all consumers, suppliers and governments to treat crimes against wildlife as a threat to our sustainable future.  It’s time to get serious about wildlife crime.

Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General.

This World Wildlife Day, let the world know it's time to get #SeriousAboutWildlifecrime

  Secretary-General of CITES , Mr John E. Scanlon Message for the World Wildlife Day 2015

Wildlife is now firmly fixed on the United Nations calendar thanks to its own special day.
On the 3rd of March 2014 the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon led the global celebrations of the first World Wildlife Day and called for us to work for a future where people and wildlife coexist in harmony.
This year, countries, United Nations and international organizations, as well as citizen’s groups from across the globe, have rallied around the theme ‘It’s time to get serious about wildlife crime’.
Illegal wildlife trade is threatening the survival of some of our most charismatic species, as well as some plants and animals you may have never heard of.  And it threatens people, their livelihoods, their safety and security.
The situation is serious. We must tackle the poaching, transport and consumption of illegally traded wildlife and in so doing use the same sorts of enforcement tools, techniques and penalties used to combat other serious crimes, such as trafficking in drugs or persons.
As we celebrate the beauty and variety of our wildlife let’s do whatever we can – as citizens and as consumers – to bring this illegal trade to an end and secure a sustainable future for wild animals and plants, as well as for ourselves.
We know what needs to be done – and by working together we will succeed.
Let’s all mark this special World Wildlife Day by getting serious about wildlife crime!

John E. Scanlon, Secretary-General of CITES

UNEP Executive Secretary Mr  Achim Steiner message for the World Wildlife Day 2015

 Forum :  World Wildlife Day, March 3
 join the social media campaign!

 Google+ Hanghout "World WildLife Day 2015 " Scheduled for 3 Mar 2015 by the  U.S. Department Of State

Wildlife trafficking is a multi-billion dollar criminal enterprise that poses a serious and urgent threat to conservation and national security. The increasing involvement of organized crime in poaching and wildlife trafficking promotes corruption, threatens the peace and security of fragile regions, strengthens illicit trade routes, and destabilizes economies and communities that depend on wildlife for their livelihoods.

To celebrate World Wildlife Day, Under Secretary Catherine Novelli will host a Google+ Hangout - moderated by Peter Knights, Executive Director at WildAid - on wildlife trafficking around the world.

Hangout Participants:
•Catherine A. Novelli, Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment at the U.S. Department of State
•Mr. Peter Knights, Executive Director at WildAid
•Ms. Paula Kahumbu, Executive Director of Wildlife Direct
•Ms. Hong Hoang, Executive Director for CHANGE
•Ms. Grace Ge Gabriel, Asia Regional Director for International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)

Do you have questions for the participants? Ask now and tune in on Tuesday, March 3 at 9:00AM ET.

For more information on wildlife trafficking, please visit http://goo.gl/PMAfba and follow the conversation online by using #WorldWildlifeDay.

World Wildlife Day Tweets

Zero Discrimination Day 2015, March 1

Zero discrimination day, March 1st

Theme 2015 : "Open Up, Reach up "

Día para la Cero Discriminación, 1 de Marzo.

Thema 2015 "Ábrete al mundo, tiende la mano "

Journée Zéro Discrimination, 1er Mars.

Them 2015 : "Ouvrez-vous, tendez la main "

1 марта 2015 года - День «Ноль дискриминации»

"Раскройся и протяни руку помощи"

 Forum : March 1st is Zero Discrimination Day

 Zero Discrimination Day is a chance to celebrate diversity and to reject discrimination. By joining our voices together, we can be part of a resounding call for compassion, tolerance and peace.

 Press release : Zero Discrimination Day to be celebrated around the world

GENEVA, 26 February 2015—Discrimination continues to affect the lives of millions of people around the world. On 1 March, Zero Discrimination Day, people from all corners of the world will unite under the theme of Open Up, Reach Out in order to celebrate diversity and reject discrimination in all its forms.
The support garnered for Zero Discrimination Day has created a global movement of solidarity to end discrimination, which remains widespread. Millions of women and girls in every region of the world experience violence and abuse and are unable to exercise their rights or gain access to health-care services, education or employment. Discrimination at work, school and health-care and other settings reduces people’s ability to participate fully and meaningfully in societies and provide and care for themselves and their families. Globally, there are almost 80 countries that still have laws criminalizing same-sex sexual relations. Some 38 countries, territories and areas impose some form of restriction on the entry, stay and residence of people living with HIV. Furthermore, legal and social environments are still failing to address stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV and those most vulnerable to HIV infection.   
“Discrimination is a violation of human rights and must not go unchallenged,” said United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. “Everyone has the right to live with respect and dignity.”
For this year’s Zero Discrimination Day people have been invited to Open Up, Reach Out, using social media channels to tell the world what zero discrimination means to them. People have shared songs, poems, thoughts and activities inspired by the butterfly, the transformative symbol of the campaign. People are also calling on their governments to make greater efforts to realize and protect human rights and eliminate discrimination.
“Some of the world’s most challenging problems can be solved simply by eliminating stigma and discrimination,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “As we collectively strive for a fairer world we can be encouraged by the enthusiasm for achieving zero discrimination.”
Among celebrities supporting the campaign are UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador David Luiz, who posted a special message on standing up to racism, UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador Toumani Diabaté and his son, Sidiki Diabaté, as well as the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 Ambassador and Sri Lankan cricketing star, Kumar Sangakkara, whose message is being played on screens at venues hosting the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 in Australia and New Zealand. Governments, lawmakers and business leaders have also pledged their support to the campaign.
Events to mark Zero Discrimination Day include photo exhibitions in China, dancing in Gabon, concerts in Madagascar, a storytelling event for children in Mongolia and special film screenings in Nepal. Seminars and workshops to discuss issues relating to stigma and discrimination will take place in more than 20 countries worldwide, from Colombia to Uzbekistan.
Zero Discrimination Day was first celebrated on 1 March 2014.

International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation 2015, February 6

International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, February 6.

Día Internacional de Tolerancia Cero con la Mutilación Genital Femenina, 6 de febrero.

Journée internationale de la tolérance zéro à l’égard des mutilations génitales féminines, 6 février.

残割女性生殖器零容忍国际日, 2月6日.

Международный день нетерпимого отношения к калечащимоперациям на женских половых органах, 6 февраля.

 اليوم العالمي لعدم التسامح لختان الإناث

United Nations Secretary-General Message on the International Day of Tolerance Zero for Female Genital Mutilation 2015. 

On this International Day of Zero Tolerance of Female Genital Mutilation, I join my United Nations colleagues in calling upon health workers around the world to eliminate this deeply harmful practice.
The medical community’s active support for the rights of girls and women to be protected from FGM has been critical in achieving the renewed commitments of Member States as reflected in the recent United Nations General Assembly Resolution on this issue.

Health systems and health professionals are essential to the wellbeing of societies. They provide credible, scientific and unbiased information that can help people protect themselves from violations of their rights.
I am truly inspired by actions already being taken by health professionals, such as the Mauritanian Association of Midwives, which refuses to practice female genital mutilation and actively promotes the abandonment of the practice as the result of support from the UNFPA-UNICEF joint programme on female genital mutilation/cutting.

We must also ensure that parents do not seek to bypass health workers in finding alternative methods of subjecting their daughters to FGM.

If everyone is mobilized, women, men and young people, it is possible, in this generation, to end a practice that currently affects some 130 million girls and women in the 29 countries where we have data.
Change is coming from within the communities. Breaking the silence and disproving the myths around FGM are the first steps along the way to eliminating it altogether.

On this International Day, I call for all people and partners to end FGM and create the future we want where every girl can grow up free of violence and discrimination, with full dignity, human rights and equality.

Ban Ki-moon

 

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) - Where does it happen?

Resources

• Fact Sheet on  Female genital mutilation (FGM) - World Health organization
• UNFPA-UNICEF joint programme on female genital mutilation/cutting. 
• US, Dutch Work to End Female Genital Mutilation  
• A recent review article states that “key knowledge gaps remain for both the prevention of FGM and evidence-based care to optimise health outcomes for girls and women with genital mutilation”
•  FGM - The International Organization of Physical Therapists in Women’s Health (IOPTWH)

 

 

A recent review article states that “key knowledge gaps remain for both the prevention of FGM and evidence-based care to optimise health outcomes for girls and women with genital mutilation”. - See more at: http://www.physiospot.com/2015/02/06/international-day-of-zero-tolerance-to-female-genital-mutilation/#sthash.beXd5kN1.dpuf

World Cancer Day 2015, February 4

World Cancer Day, 4 February.

2015 Theme: ‘Not beyond us’ 

 Día Mundial contra el Cáncer, 4 de febrero.

 Tema del 2015: «A nuestro alcance».

Journée mondiale du cancer, 4 février.

Thème 2015 : « À notre portée »

世界癌症日, 2月4日.

2015年主题：实现癌症防控目标并不遥远.

Всемирный день борьбы против рака, 4 февраля.

 اليوم العالمي للسرطان

موضوع عام 2015: علاج السرطان في متناولنا

 Cancer is the uncontrolled growth and spread of cells. It can affect almost any part of the body. The growths often invade surrounding tissue and can metastasize to distant sites. Many cancers can be prevented by avoiding exposure to common risk factors, such as tobacco smoke. In addition, a significant proportion of cancers can be cured, by surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy, especially if they are detected early.

Taking place under the tagline ‘Not beyond us’, World Cancer Day 2015 takes a positive and proactive approach to the fight against cancer, highlighting that solutions do exist across the continuum of cancer, and that they are within our reach. The campaign explores how we can implement what we already know in the areas of prevention, early detection, treatment and care.

Message of the WHO Regional Director for Africa on the occasion of World Cancer Day 2015.

Today, 4 February 2015, the World Health Organization joins the rest of the international community in commemorating World Cancer Day. The theme for this year’s commemoration is “Not beyond us”. This theme highlights the efforts that individuals, communities, governments and other stakeholders can make in the prevention and control of cancer.

The burden of cancer has been on the increase over the past few decades. In 2012 alone, 8.2 million people worldwide were estimated to have died from cancer. More than two thirds of these deaths occurred in low- and middle- income countries.

The rise in the number of cases of cancer is due to ageing populations and the increasing adoption of risk behavior such as: consumption of unhealthy diets, lack of physical exercise, harmful use of alcohol and tobacco use. In the African Region, infections due to human papillomavirus and hepatitis B and C viruses significantly contribute to the burden of the top two cancers, namely cervical and liver cancer respectively.

Globally, cost-effective solutions such as vaccination, regular cancer screening, and proven therapies are available and within the reach of individuals, communities, governments and other stakeholders. Unfortunately, in Africa, access to these solutions is limited. There is also lack of awareness of the early signs and symptoms of cancer resulting in most people seeking medical help at a later stage when the disease is advanced and cure is not possible.

Many lives can be saved in our Region if appropriate investment is made in raising public awareness on the early signs and symptoms of common cancers. In addition people should adopt healthy lifestyles that reduce the risk of cancers.

As we commemorate World Cancer Day, I call upon African governments to scale up access to vaccines for cancer prevention, screening services for early detection of cancer and provision of treatment, and palliative care services. Development partners on the other hand should align their efforts and support governments to achieve their national cancer control objectives by supporting improved access to health care services and provision of adequate resources.
I urge Member States in the WHO African Region to ensure that their integrated Non Communicable Disease Action Plans address cancer prevention and control in a holistic and multisectoral manner. It is also vital that governments strengthen cancer surveillance and establish cancer registers.

The World Health Organization on its part will continue to support Member States’ in their cancer control efforts.

WCD 2015 - Official Global Press Release

Affordable funding increase can save three million lives per year from cancer in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) by 2030

External Links and Resources

Cancers figure among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with approximately 14 million new cases and 8.2 million cancer related deaths in 2012 . This number is expected to increase to 24 million by 2035 . Find some useful resources here below.

What causes cancer?

International Childhood Cancer Day, February 15th.

National Cancer Institute’s Dictionary of Cancer Terms
What Causes Cancer? 34 Cancer Risk Calculators
Cancer Prevention Recommendations
Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Cancer Treatment
Caring for the Patient with Cancer at Home: A Guide for Patients and Families
Nearing the End of Life | American Cancer Society
Medicare Hospice and Respite Coverage for Cancer Patients
 More on World Cancer Day

International Mother Language Day 2015, February 21

International Mother Language Day, 21 February.

2015 Theme: Inclusive Education through and with Language - Language Matters.

 Día Internacional de la Lengua Materna, 21 de febrero.

 Tema de 2015: La educación inclusiva por medio del idioma y con él – Los idiomas cuentan.

 Journée internationale de la langue maternelle, 21 février.

 Thème 2015 : « L’éducation inclusive grâce aux langues – les langues comptent »

国际母语日, 2月21日.

2015年主题：以语言为手段和内容的全纳教育-语言至关重要

Международный день родного языка, 21 февраля.

Тема Дня 2015 года «Инклюзивное образование посредством и с помощью языка. Языки — это важно».

باليوم الدولي للغة الأم

موضوع عام 2015 - التعليم الجامع عبر اللغة وباستخدامها - للغات شأن

UNESCO Director-General's Message for the International Mother Language Day 2015.

2015 marks the 15th anniversary of International Mother Language Day – this is also a turning point year for the international community, as the deadline for the Millennium Development Goals, when countries will define a new global sustainable development agenda.
The focus for the post-2015 agenda must fall on the priority of advancing quality education for all -- widening access, ensuring equality and inclusiveness, and promoting education for global citizenship and sustainable development. Education in the mother language is an essential part of achieving these goals -- to facilitate learning and to bolster skills in reading, writing and mathematics. Taking this forward requires a sharper focus on teaching training, revisions of academic programmes and the creation of suitable learning environments.
UNESCO takes forward these goals across the world. In Latin America, with the United Nations Children's Fund, UNESCO is promoting inclusive education through bilingual intercultural approaches, in order to include both native and non-native cultures. For the same reasons, the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Education in Asia and the Pacific, based in Bangkok, Thailand, is working to deepen understandings of multilingual education based on the mother tongue, across the region and further afield. Mother tongue education is force for quality learning – it is also essential to bolster multilingualism and respect for linguistic and cultural diversity in societies that are transforming quickly.

Since 2000, there has been tremendous progress to reach the goals of Education for All. Today, we must look ahead – to complete unfinished business and to tackle new challenges. International Mother Language Day is a moment for all of us to raise the flag for the importance of mother tongue to all educational efforts, to enhance the quality of learning and to reach the unreached. Every girl and boy, every woman and man must have the tools to participate fully in the lives of their societies – this is a basic human right and it is a force for the sustainability of all development.

Irina Bokova

Forum : International Mother Language Day

Events : International Mother Language day 2015

When, local time: 

Friday, 20 February 2015 - 10:00am to 1:00pm

Where: 

France, Paris

Type of Event: 

Special event

Contact: 

n.andriamiseza@unesco.org

The theme for IMLD 2015 is "Inclusion in and through education: Language counts". Its focus is on one of the main challenges that cuts across many of the goals, i.e. Inclusion (equity/quality).
The opening ceremony will include a speech by UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education, the Ambassador of Bangladesh to France, the Permanent Delegate of Bangladesh to UNESCO and the representative of Secretary General of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie.
A debate will follow with Monica Perena, Director of Linguapax, Thésée Gina, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Mike Fleming, University de Durham, speaking on behalf of the Council of Europe, and M. Philippe Benoit, INALCO.
As the EFA Goals are far from attained due, in part, to the difficulties of reaching the worst-off segments of the population, the debate around language and education becomes more central. Linguistic minorities are often among the most marginalized populations, with little or poor access to quality education. When they do have access to education, learners from these communities are often either excluded from opportunities to pursue their educational career beyond primary or pushed out of education because the language of instruction is not their own.

Links: 

Languages in Education

Theme page: 

Education for the 21st Century

- See more at: http://en.unesco.org/events/international-mother-language-day-celebration-2015#sthash.AoWZo8tM.dpuf

When, local time:  Friday, 20 February 2015 - 10:00am to 1:00pm 

Where:  UNESCO France, Paris 

Type of Event:  Special event 

Contact:  n.andriamiseza@unesco.org 

    The theme for IMLD 2015 is "Inclusion in and through education: Language counts". Its focus is on one of the main challenges that cuts across many of the goals, i.e. Inclusion (equity/quality).  

    The opening ceremony will include a speech by UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education, the Ambassador of Bangladesh to France, the Permanent Delegate of Bangladesh to UNESCO and the representative of Secretary General of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie. A debate will follow with Monica Perena, Director of Linguapax, Thésée Gina, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Mike Fleming, University de Durham, speaking on behalf of the Council of Europe, and M. Philippe Benoit, INALCO.  As the EFA Goals are far from attained due, in part, to the difficulties of reaching the worst-off segments of the population, the debate around language and education becomes more central. 

    Linguistic minorities are often among the most marginalized populations, with little or poor access to quality education. When they do have access to education, learners from these communities are often either excluded from opportunities to pursue their educational career beyond primary or pushed out of education because the language of instruction is not their own.

Inclusive Education through and with Language - Language Matters

Publications : 

 Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Educatione  (PDF)

 Towards UNESCO,s World Atlas of Languages: Final Recommendations for the Action Plan

 

World Day of Social Justice 2015, February 20

World Day of Social Justice, 20 February.

2015 Theme: Ending human trafficking and forced labour

Día Mundial de la Justicia Social, 20 de febrero.

 Tema de 2015: «Poner fin a la trata de personas y al trabajo forzoso»

Journée mondiale de la justice sociale, 20 février.

 Thème 2015 : Mettre fin à la traite des humains et au travail forcé.

世界社会公正日, 2月20日.

2015年主题：终止人口贩运及强迫劳动

Всемирный день социальной справедливости,  20 февраля.

Тема Дня 2015 года «Торговля людьми и принудительный труд» 

 اليوم العالمي للعدالة الاجتماعية

موضوع اليوم الدولي لعام 2015: إنهاء الاتجار بالبشر وظواهر العمل القسري

United Nations Secretary-General's Message for World Day of Social Justice 2015.

World Day for Social Justice comes at a pivotal moment for people and our planet.  Around the world, there is a rising call to secure a life of dignity for all with equal rights and respect for the diverse voices of the world’s peoples.  At the core of this movement lies the need for social justice.
This year’s commemoration focuses on the scourge of human trafficking and the plight of approximately 21 million women, men and children in various forms of modern slavery.  New instruments such as the ILO Protocol and Recommendation on forced labour and human trafficking are helping to strengthen global efforts to punish perpetrators and end impunity.  We must continue to do more.  We simply cannot achieve development for all if we leave behind those who are socially and economically exploited.
In this crucial year for global development, as Member States work to craft a post-2015 agenda and a new set of sustainable development goals, let us do our utmost to eradicate all forms of human exploitation.  Let us strive to build a world of social justice where all people can live and work in freedom, dignity and equality.

Ban Ki-moon

 

For the United Nations, the pursuit of social justice for all is at the core of our global mission to promote development and human dignity. Learn more here: http://bit.ly/1fkdSgV

Forum :  World Day of Social Justice

World Wetland 2015, February 2

Theme 2015 : Wetlands for Our Future.

                      Humedales para nuestro futuro – ¡Únase a nosotros!

                     Les zones humides pour notre avenir – Participez!

Wetlands - Big benefits for people and nature

World Wetlands Day, 2 Février.

 Día Mundial de los Humedales, 2 de febrero.

 Journée mondiale des zones humides, le 2 Février.

 世界濕地日，2月2日.

 Всемирный день водно-болотных угодий, 2 февраля.

What is World Wetlands Day?

2 February each year is World Wetlands Day. This day marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the shores of the Caspian Sea.

Each year since 1997, the Ramsar Secretariat has provided materials so that government agencies, non-governmental organizations, conservation organizations, and groups of citizens can help raise public awareness about the importance and value of wetlands.

“Wetlands for our future” – this year’s theme for World Wetlands Day – seeks to highlight the varieties of ways in which wetlands provide for us all, and the many ways that we can all contribute to their conservation and restoration.

Too few people realize the numerous services and benefits wetlands provide and their importance for humans and the planet. Most importantly, wetlands are the source of our daily water.

Additionally wetlands feed humanity: rice, grown in wetland paddies, is the staple diet of nearly three billion people. The average human consumes 19 kg of fish each year. And most of the fish sold, breed and raise their young in coastal waters and estuaries. Moreover, 70% of all fresh water extracted globally is used for crop irrigation.

Wetlands purify and filter harmful waste from water, helping to absorb harmful fertilizers and pesticides, as well as heavy metals and toxins from industry. As an example, the Nakivubo Swamp in Kampala, Uganda filters sewage and industrial effluents for free; a treatment plant to do the same job would cost $2 million per year.
Wetlands act as nature's shock absorbers: peatlands and wet grasslands in river basins act as natural sponges, absorbing rainfall, creating wide surface pools that ease any flooding in rivers. The same storage capacity will also safeguard against the impact of drought.
Wetlands provide sustainable livelihoods and products: 61.8 million people depend directly on fishing and fisheries for a living. Timber for building, vegetable oil, medicinal plants, animal fodder, and stems and leaves for weaving also comes from our wetlands.
And importantly for our future, wetlands help to fight climate change. Peatlands alone store twice as much carbon as all the world's forests combined, and in the face of rising sea levels, coastal wetlands reduce the impact of hurricanes and tsunamis. They also bind the shoreline and resist erosion.

World Wetlands Day 2015 - Statement from Dr. Christopher Briggs, Secretary General of the Ramsar Convention

I am delighted to be joining you to celebrate World Wetlands Day! This year I will be seeing again how Uganda, which is a key Party to the Ramsar Convention, makes this day special and makes wetlands come alive and leap into people’s imaginations. With the Ramsar Centre for East Africa, I will be visiting the Letembe Bay site. We thank Danone-evian who financed the communication and outreach for World Wetlands Day.

With our theme this year as “Wetlands for our Future”, we want to highlight the choices ahead of us all, considering the all-too-real threat to wetlands around the world. Latest research indicates that over 64% of the world’s wetlands have been destroyed since 1900, and in some regions, notably Asia, the loss is even higher.

This rapid decline means that access to fresh water is worsening for almost two billion people worldwide, while flood control, disaster risk reduction, carbon storage and traditional wetland livelihoods are all suffering and our futures with them. In addition to loss of water and other wetlands services, the richness of wildlife - our biodiversity - has also been affected.

Populations of freshwater species have declined by 76% in the last forty years, according to WWF’s Living Planet Index, and this is a worse prospect than any other place on earth.
What is driving this loss? Unfortunately, wetlands are often viewed as wasteland; something to be drained, filled and converted to other purposes. The main causes of wetlands loss and degradation are changes in land use, especially conversion to agriculture and grazing and the growth of cities and their infrastructure. And this is all made worse by the leakage into our wetlands of an excess of nutrients, and water being diverted to make dams, ponds, channels and canals.

The reason we should care more about our wetlands is because they are the only source of our fresh water and the essential ingredient for all development. So, we need to educate people of all ages to understand how wetlands already play a part in their lives and get them to care as passionately as we do for their maintenance and restoration:

• Wetlands provide the fresh water for every one of us. Every human needs 20-50 litres of water a day for basic drinking, cooking and cleaning. Wetlands provide that water. 

• Wetlands also filter and clean harmful chemicals and waste from water. Plants from wetlands can help absorb harmful fertilizers and pesticides, as well as heavy metals and toxins from industry. Topically we can say that the Nakivubo Swamp in Kampala, Uganda filters all the sewage and industrial wastes for free; a treatment plant to do the same would cost over $2 million per year.

• Wetlands feed humanity. Rice, grown in wetland paddies, is the staple diet of nearly three billion people. And the average human consumes 19 kg of fish each year, but few know that almost all commercial fish breed and raise their young in coastal marshes and estuaries. 

• 70% of all fresh water we extract from wetlands globally is used for irrigation of our crops and help powers the business of agriculture that maintains over 570 million farms and keeps us fed. 

• Wetlands are bursting with biodiversity. Wetlands are home to more than 100,000 known freshwater species alone, and that number is growing every year. In just 10 years, 272 new species of freshwater fish were discovered in the Amazon. 

• Wetlands act as nature’s shock absorbers. Wetlands within river basins act as natural sponges, absorbing rainfall, creating wide surface pools that reduce the impact of flooding in rivers. The same storage capacity also safeguards against drought.

• Wetlands help fight climate change. Peatlands alone store more than twice as much carbon as all the forests in the world! In the face of rising sea levels, coastal wetlands reduce the impact of typhoons and tsunamis. They also bind the shoreline and resist increasing levels of erosion.

• Wetlands provide sustainable livelihoods and products. 61.8 million people depend directly on fishing and fisheries for a living. Timber for building, vegetable oil, medicinal plants, animal fodder, and stems and leaves for weaving also come from well managed wetlands.

But wetlands are also part of our emotional history. Who can’t remember a childhood trip to the beach, learning to fish in a river, fishing in a pond in the summer time? I spent all my youth in rivers and ponds catching fish and damming streams and had fun all summer long and came back every day with wet clothes and boots full of water. Since then, I have been in and out of wetlands all my life, and enjoyed them all.

This year, we are inviting people to think about their own wetlands story, and how they can help to stop this dramatic loss of wetlands. We would like you to visit our website or use our twitter hashtag “Wetlands For Our Future” to make a pledge to help wetlands and join thousands of people around the world who also want to reverse the trend. Your pledge can be as simple as taking shorter showers to save water, or making sure you take reusable bags to the supermarket, or getting more practically involved by helping to organise a clean-up of your local wetland.

Educating younger people is vital. We need to get the next generation engaged and knowledgeable on how important wetlands are and the more people know, the further we can spread the message.

This year, for young people between the ages of 15 and 24, we are running a photo competition in partnership with the Star Alliance. From today until the 3rd of March, visit a wetland, and take a picture there, for the chance to win a free flight anywhere in the world to visit a wetland site. All submissions to our site, www.worldwetlandsday.org will be voted on and the shortlisted finalists judged by a panel of experts including renowned UK landscape photographer Charlie Waite.
So join us this year, and take up the challenge to help secure Wetlands for all our Futures.

Happy World Wetlands Day.

Dr. Christopher Briggs, Secretary General of the Ramsar Convention

 Press release 

 

•  Wetlands for our Future: Act now to prevent, stop, and reverse wetland loss.

 Key Facts 

•  Wetlands - Issues :: International Water Management Institute (IWMI)
•  Wetlands play critical role in economic growth of the Mekong. CGIAR
•  Wetlands for Our Future: Act Now to Prevent, Stop, and Reverse Wetland Loss -UNEP
• The future of humanity depends on wetlands. NZ Department of Conservation.
• Wetlands offer substantial economic, social and environmental values which, if managed sustainably - Australian Government Department of Environment (Environemt.gov.au).

Wetlands for Our Future: Act Now to Prevent, Stop, and Reverse Wetland Loss - See more at: http://www.unep.org/newscentre/Default.aspx?DocumentID=2818&ArticleID=11129&l=en#sthash.ZtYYMade.YvvmSzQI.dpuf

Wetlands for Our Future: Act Now to Prevent, Stop, and Reverse Wetland Loss - See more at: http://www.unep.org/newscentre/Default.aspx?DocumentID=2818&ArticleID=11129&l=en#sthash.ZtYYMade.YvvmSzQI.dpuf

Wetlands for Our Future: Act Now to Prevent, Stop, and Reverse Wetland Loss - See more at: http://www.unep.org/newscentre/Default.aspx?DocumentID=2818&ArticleID=11129&l=en#sthash.ZtYYMade.YvvmSzQI.dpuf

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