World Wetlands Day 2022

World Wetlands Day 2022

Part of: Prelims and GS-III Environment 

Context: Union Minister for Environment addressed the national level celebration of World Wetlands day 2022 held at Sultanpur National Park, a Ramsar site of Haryana.

Key takeaways 

• World Wetlands Day is observed every year on February 2nd all over the world.
• It is celebrated to raise global awareness about the vital role of wetlands for people and our planet.
• This day also marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on February 2, 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar.
• Theme of World Wetlands Day: “Wetlands Action for People and Nature”, 

New Ramsar sites

• Two new Ramsar sites (Wetlands of International Importance), Khijadia Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat and Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary in U.P were also announced 
  • Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary in UP provides a safe wintering and staging ground for a large number of species of the Central Asian Flyway.
  • Khijadia Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat is a coastal wetland with rich avifaunal diversity providing a safe habitat to endangered and vulnerable species.
• India now has a network of 49 Ramsar sites covering an area of 10,93,636 hectares, the highest in South Asia.

News source: IE