Global Wetland Outlook 2025: Wetlands at a Crossroads
News
The new Global Wetland Outlook 2025, released by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, delivers a clear message: wetlands are among the planet’s most valuable yet most threatened ecosystems.
A Critical Global Update
According to the report, 35% of the world’s wetlands have disappeared since 1970, and the decline continues at 0.52% per year, three times faster than forest loss.
Although wetlands cover only 6% of the Earth’s surface, they provide USD 39 trillion in ecosystem services annually, from water purification and flood control to carbon storage and food security.
Yet, pressures keep increasing: 80% of Ramsar Sites face degradation from pollution, overuse, or land conversion, and wetland-dependent species have declined by 81% in just five decades.
From Crisis to Opportunity
The report highlights that restoration pays off: wetland rehabilitation brings returns up to ten times higher than the cost of degradation.
More than 75 countries have already committed to new restoration targets, and success stories are emerging worldwide, from river reconnections to mangrove recovery.
To reverse current trends, the GWO-2025 identifies four priorities:
- Recognising wetlands as key assets for climate and biodiversity;
- Scaling up restoration and reconnection;
- Reforming policies and incentives that drive degradation;
- Strengthening governance and partnerships for sustainable management.
A Global Call to Act
The Global Wetland Outlook 2025 serves as both a warning and a roadmap. It urges governments, donors, and communities to accelerate action, reminding us that protecting wetlands means protecting climate, biodiversity, and human well-being.