Commissioned by | Lead Executing Agency |
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German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) This project is part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI). BMUV supports this initiative on the basis of a decision adopted by the German Bundestag. |
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) |
Lead Implementing Agency | Duration |
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Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH | September 2018-August 2025 |
Wetlands are ecosystems located at the interface of land and water. We see them in various forms such as, marshes, lagoons, estuaries, mangroves, peatlands, ponds, lakes, reservoirs, floodplains and deltas. As highly productive ecosystems, wetlands are vital parts of the water cycle and support rich biological diversity.
There are over 750,000 wetlands in India which are spread over 15.98 Mha (National Wetlands Decadal Change Atlas 2021). Distributed across ten bio-geographic zones – from the Trans-Himalayas to the Indian Islands – these wetlands exhibit an enormous diversity and support a variety of ecosystem services: freshwater provision, food, fibre and fuels, groundwater recharge and purification, pollution abatement, flood mitigation, erosion control and carbon sequestration. They also provide cultural and recreational benefits. Wetlands directly and indirectly support the livelihoods of millions of Indians. In India, 82 wetlands of international importance have been designated under the Ramsar Convention.
Many wetlands are threatened by reclamation and degradation through drainage and landfill, pollution, hydrological alteration, over-exploitation and climate change resulting in loss of biodiversity and disruption in ecosystem benefits to the society. Wetlands in India form an integral component of biodiversity conservation, water and food security and climate protection.
The main objective of the project is to strengthen the institutional framework and capacities for an ecosystem-based integrated management of wetlands of international importance (Ramsar sites) in India.
The Wetlands Management for Biodiversity and Climate Protection project is implemented in close cooperation with the National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA) of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
Four main output areas define the implementation approach of the project:
The project is being implemented in seven states: Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu in collaboration with State and Union Territory Wetland.
The project contributes particularly to the Sustainable Development Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) which aims to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all; SDG13 (Climate Action) which aims to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts; SDG 14 (Life Below Water) which focuses on the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development; SDG 15 (Life on Land) which aims to protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
For a detailed overview refer to the project brochure. All other publications of this project can be accessed via the Resources section on this website, by selecting the topic “Wetlands Management for Biodiversity and Climate Protection”.
Biodiversity and Beyond: The Story of Point Calimere (Short Tamil Version)
September 19th, 2024
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