Alex Rose-Innes
With water having becoming the world’s most sought-after resource and the ability to safeguard natural resources, Velddrif on the West Coast of South Africa (SA) celebrated the day with the good news that the Berg River Estuary is to be granted RAMSAR importance.
The Berg River estuary is located approximately 130 km north of Cape Town Based on the extent of tidal influence, the estuary is estimated to be 65 km long, although seawater does not penetrate this far upstream.
RAMSAR is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the RAMSAR Convention, also known as “The Convention on Wetlands” and wetlands are areas where “water covers the soil, or is present either at or near the surface of the soil all year or for varying periods of time during the year including during the growing season.”
This year’s theme, Wetlands Action for People and Nature, calls on everyone to conserve wetland areas of which the Berg River Estuary is the most important conservation area on the West Coast Biosphere Reserve in the Western Cape Province in SA.
World Wetlands Day is celebrated on 2 February to marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands in Ramsar, Iran. In 2021, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted Resolution 75/317, proclaiming World Wetlands Day on 2 February, each year.
What is the significance of wetlands?
Wetlands play a crucial role in water security. They are responsible for nurturing complex ecosystems. Wetlands also provide a barrier against natural disasters such as flooding, help fight climate change and prevent soil erosion. It acts as carbon stores and forms one of the most important sinks for greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide.
There are 2424 RAMSARsites around the world, protecting 254,603,549 hectares (629,139,070 acres) with 171 national governments participating. South Africa currently has 27 sites designated as Wetlands of International Importance, covering and area of 571,089 hectares. The country with the most sites is the United Kingdom with 175. The Cobourg Peninsula in Australia was the world’s first RAMSAR site, identified in 1974. On the African continent, SA has the largest hectares of wetlands.
The lack of conservation of wetlands can have severe consequences across several spheres such as climate change mitigation, water and food security, and disaster management. Their conservation is crucial to prevent the biodiversity of any country. India had already lost 30% of its wetlands over the last three decades.
