World Wetlands Day 2021
World Wetlands Day is celebrated every year on 2 February. This year’s theme 'Wetlands & Water' shines a spotlight on wetlands as a source of freshwater and encourages actions to restore them and stop their loss.
Source of fresh water
We are facing a growing freshwater crisis that threatens people and our planet. We use more freshwater than nature can replenish, and we are destroying the ecosystem that water and all life depend on most – Wetlands.
The 2021 campaign highlights the contribution of wetlands to the quantity and quality of freshwater on our planet. Water and wetlands are connected in an inseparable co-existence that is vital to life, our wellbeing and the health of our planet.
Saturated or flooded land
Wetlands are land areas that are saturated or flooded with water either permanently or seasonally.
Inland wetlands include marshes, ponds, lakes, fens, rivers, floodplains, and swamps. Coastal wetlands include saltwater marshes, estuaries, mangroves, lagoons and even coral reefs. Fishponds, rice paddies, and saltpans are human-made wetlands.