Wetlands International
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Wetlands International is a global organisation that works to sustain and restore
Based mostly in the developing world, it has 20 regional, national or project offices in all continents and a head office in Ede, the Netherlands. The NGO works in over 100 countries and at different scales to tackle problems affecting wetlands. With the support of dozens of governmental, NGO and corporate donors and partners, it supports about 80 projects.[1]
Wetlands International's work ranges from research and community-based field projects to advocacy and engagement with governments, corporate and international policy fora and conventions. Wetlands International works through partnerships and is supported by contributions from an extensive specialist expert network and thousands of volunteers.
History
It was founded in 1937 as the International Wildfowl Inquiry and the organisation was focused on the protection of waterbirds. Later, the name became International Waterfowl & Wetlands Research Bureau (IWRB). The scope became wider; besides waterbirds, the organisation was also working on the protection of wetland areas.
Later, organisations with similar objectives emerged in Asia and the Americas: the Asian Wetland Bureau (AWB) (initiated as INTERWADER in 1983) and Wetlands for the Americas (WA) (initiated in 1989). In 1991, the three organisations started to work closely together.
In 1995, the working relation developed into the global organisation Wetlands International.[2]
Wetlands International works in many thematic areas throughout the world, including the links between
Key areas of work
Currently, Wetlands International has four primary areas of work, which are:
Peatlands
Wetlands International's peatlands work is focused in Eurasia and southeast Asia. The peatswamp forests of Central Kalimantan are studied and worked on in particular for climate mitigation.[5] The project Restoring peatlands in Russia is a joint-effort with the government and Greifeswald University, and was recognised by the UNFCCC with a Momentum for Change award in 2017, for storing up to 200,000 tonnes CO2e of carbon emissions every year by rewetting peatlands and preventing fires.[6]
In the severely degraded
China’s Ruoergai marshes
Previous work in China has included the
Turberas of Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
In Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, the Wetlands International Latin America office built awareness of sustainable use of the peatlands from the local to the national level, which have contributed to their protection.
Coastal wetlands
Coastal wetlands such as
Dryland regions
In dryland regions such as sub-Saharan Africa, less rainfall and longer droughts increase the already huge importance of the
Wetlands International works in Mali to improve the livelihoods and water provision of communities in the Inner Niger Delta in a changing climate.
Biodiversity and waterbirds
Wetlands International works to protect and restore the rich biodiversity of wetlands. Millions of waterbirds depend on wetlands like marshes, lakes and coastal zones.
Promoting the protecting of wetlands along the flyways of waterbirds
Wetlands International promotes the establishment of ecological networks of well managed, protected wetlands, along the main
See also
References
- ^ "Annual Review and Accounts 2017". Wetlands International. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
- ^ History of Wetlands International
- ^ About Wetlands International Archived 2014-06-27 at the Wayback Machine, Wetlands International
- ^ "The value of counting birds for people and nature - Wetlands International". Wetlands International. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
- ^ "Climate mitigation and adaptation - Wetlands International". Wetlands International. Archived from the original on 2018-08-09. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
- ^ "Restoring Peatlands in Russia". unfccc.int. Retrieved 2021-09-23.
- ^ "China commits to strengthen collaboration on wetlands - Wetlands International". Wetlands International. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
- ^ "The Yellow Sea, a site of global importance for migratory birds - Wetlands International". Wetlands International. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
- ^ Schumann, M; Thevs, Niels; Joosten, Hans (2008-01-01). "Extent and degradation of peatlands on the Ruoergai Plateau (Tibet, China) assessed by remote sensing". Pristine Mire Landscape: 77–80.
- ^ "BirdLife Data Zone". datazone.birdlife.org. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
- ^ "International Waterbird Census - Wetlands International". Wetlands International. Archived from the original on 2021-03-09. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
- ^ "Wetlands International: From the Arctic to Africa | AEWA". www.unep-aewa.org. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
- ^ "Partnerships | CMS". www.cms.int. Retrieved 2018-08-09.