have been damaged and degraded due to rapid farming and urbanisation in North America and Europe, leading to loss of most floodplain regions (Tockner and Stanford, 2002). Increasing pressure on water resources by population is also very dominant in these regions, which increases biodiversity loss. Such adverse impacts on wetlands are high in developing countries in the continents of Asia and Africa (Vorosmarty et al., 2010). Some parts of South America, Australia and Northern Europe have remained less affected by the controlled and regulating anthropogenic activities as compared to other parts of the globe. As a result of greater water regulation for agricultural growth and urban and industrial expansion, ecological qualities have deteriorated in recent decades in Australia (Finlaysonet et al., 2013). Based on 153 reports published in 63 different journals, Kandus et al. 2018 found that most wetlands in South America have been conserved and are in relatively excellent condition. China's wetlands cover 53.42x106 acres, accounting for 10% of worldwide wetlands and 5.58 % of the country's total land area. Multiple contributing variables are constantly putting China's wetlands at jeopardy. Since the 1950s, a considerable number of wetlands have been lost or damaged. 33% of China’s total wetlands have been lost in the time span of 1978 ‐2008. Cropland expansion has majorly led to the loss of vegetated wetlands in China during 1990 to 2010 (Mao et al. 2021).
Loss of vegetation due to invasive species has resulted in the spread and displacement of native species. Adversely vegetation loss is also affected by coastal wetlands due to anthropogenic pressure and climate change impacts. Global warming and climate change are of serious concern to coastal and high‐altitude wetlands. Flood plains are no longer considered wetlands when flood management control fails. Other factors, such as agricultural development, land use, land cover changes, urbanisation, infrastructure development and desertification, are also equally responsible for the degradation of wetlands. According to a study by Zelder and Kercher (2005), reported over 5000 km2 of wetland is lost annually in Asia due to agriculture, dam construction, and other factors, and about 50% of the global wetland area has been lost as a result of human activity. Over the last 100 years, most continents have experienced significant wetland losses. A study conducted by Xu et al. (2019) on the basis 2303 wetlands of international importance found that largest numbers of wetlands are located in Europe, and Africa has the largest area of land; out of these study locations, more than 50% of the locations are influenced by contamination (54%), biological resource use (53%), natural system alteration (53%) and farming and aquaculture (42%). Major wetlands depend on fish, water birds and tortoises in severe decline, with 1/4th of them threatened extinction, especially in the tropics and wetlands site in United Kingdom and Irelands are least affecting among all over the continents (Xu et al. 2019). According to the Global Wetlands Outlook (2018) since, 1970, 81% of inland wetland populations and 36% of coastal and marine species have declined and more than >10 percent of inland species are subject to global risk assessment from the IUCN Red List. The highest degree of the global threat of extinction are marine turtles (100% globally threatened), wetland‐depend mega fauna (62%), freshwater reptiles (40 %), marine molluscs (37%), amphibians (35%), corals (33%) and crabs and crayfish (32%): coral reef‐dependent parrotfish and surgeonfish (2%), and dragonflies (8%) have low globally threatened status (Global Wetlands Outlook, 2018). Loss of vegetation due to invasive species has resulted in the spread and displacement of native species. Vegetation loss is also affected by coastal wetlands.
Wetlands are linked to malaria and have been drained for this reason as well. Water quality of the wetlands has also deteriorated due to increasing pollution, drainage, weed infestation and siltation. It's expected to deteriorate further. The main sources of pollution are untreated industrial waste, waste and wastewater from power plants, chemical, fertiliser and pesticide runoff from agricultural land, etc. Eutrophication causes algal blooms, which reduces the water's oxygen content, leading to the extinction of other species. Salinity has also been increased due to pollution. At least 5.25 trillion persistent plastic particles are afloat in the World's oceans and have enormous impacts on coastal waters (Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, 2018). Successive droughts have led to the early departure of many migratory birds.
Finlayson and Valk (1997) claim that the decrease of wetlands coincides with growing scientific evidence of their value to humans, biodiversity, and the environment's quality. At present, the poor consciousness of the significance of the wetland ecosystem by decision‐makers and underestimating the values and benefits of wetlands are also a major concern. The protection of wetlands is now becoming a problem and challenging task. It complicates attempts to establish strategies to reduce risks and protect these important resources. Promoting a wetland wise use initiative is crucial to human livelihoods and survival. Finlayson and Valk (1997) argue that the decline in wetlands coincides with increasing scientific evidence of their importance to people, wildlife, and the environment's quality. The protection of wetlands is also difficult. It complicates attempts to establish strategies to reduce risks and preserve these important resources. Promoting the wetland wise use programme is crucial to human livelihoods and survival.
1.4.1 Conservation Measures and Future Strategies
Human activities have had a different effect on the wetland environment and in the hydrological cycle, and an impact on wetlands themselves. Prioritization for recognising the environmental implications of wetland management activities is crucial. Development of holistic approaches and strategies to maximise the protection and conservation of the wetland ecosystem is essential to maintain the ecological balance and regulating earth system. Wetland management project plans need to be incorporated into economic development planning and with a socio‐cultural and location‐specific priority—establishing a sound ecosystem through the combination of land use planning and economic development. Local community participation in the implementation of management practises and priority needs to be given to the indigenous knowledge framework for the conservation of the wetland Ecosystem. Regular monitoring and scientific studies to determine the importance of wetlands contribute to quantifying ecological, economic and social values. It can be beneficial to ensure successful conservation and restoration.
Ramsar Convention focused on wetlands, recognizing their significance, particularly as waterfowl habitats (Matthews 1993). On realizing their worth, people and governments started laying stress on the conservation of the wetlands. An unusual spurt of interest in wetlands was seen at all levels among scholars, technical and management persons, researchers working in the field of society and economics, different social organisations, and Governments. The Ramsar Convention has been instrumental and highly successful in mobilizing most nations to pledge for wetland conservation. The Convention also talked about the wise and optimum use of wetlands and not the conservation only (Ramsar Convention Bureau 1998, 2001 2018). The signatories have to formulate laws that ensure the conservation of listed wetlands and the optimum use of wetlands in their domain.
The participation of local stakeholders, in particular the communities, is an important determinant of the effectiveness of conservation initiatives. The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands defines participatory management as a learning mechanism that seeks to enhance the collective analysis and action ability of all those interested in wetland conservation. Maintaining and preserving wetlands that are inclusive has a far greater chance of success. The Ramsar Convention indicates that local people should be encouraged to appreciate the principles of wetlands as champions of wetland protection and wise use and should also be involved in inappropriate policy formulation, planning and management.
Implementation of a performance appraisal accountability system among the stakeholders directly and indirectly involved in the wetlands conservation programme. Legal action needs to be taken against those who are responsible for wetlands degradation. Good governance and implementation of wetlands conservation legislation and law at the national and global level can improve the wetland ecosystem's health. Capacity building programme including creating a reliable institutional mechanism for imparting training to wetlands handlers, policymakers, and other key stakeholders. Developing conservation framework and modules in online and offline mode, creating groups of wetlands managers for collaborative research and knowledge are important tools and approaches for conserving wetlands and mitigating the adverse impacts on the wetland ecosystem. Education and awareness are the most crucial components for the successful conservation of wetlands.