Wetlands are home to a vast amount of biodiversity but 87% of the world's wetlands have been lost in the last 300 years due to pollution, drainage, and land conversion. This loss of wetlands is contributing to the loss of over one million animal and plant species that are now threatened with extinction. Wetlands provide essential services worth $47 trillion annually such as carbon storage, pollutant removal, jobs, and support of biodiversity including reptiles, amphibians, water birds, and mammals. Efforts are needed to end biodiversity loss and restore degraded wetlands for the health of the climate, economies, and ecosystems.

1. Wetlands and biodiversity
2 February 2020
Wetlands and biodiversity
2 February 2020
Wetland biodiversity matters
Loss of wetlands = Loss of biodiversity
End biodiversity loss, restore wetlands
For the climate
30% of land-based carbon
is stored in peatlands
87%
of the world’s wetlands
have been lost globally
in the last 300 years
One million
animal and plant
species threatened
with extinction
Key drivers of wetland loss
• Pollution
• Drainage
• Land conversion
Learn more: WorldWetlandsDay.org #WetlandBiodiversityMatters
For economies
Wetlands provide
USD 47 trillion in essential
services annually
CO2
Wetland species
threatened with extinction
• Reptiles
• Amphibians
• Water birds
• Mammals
For clean water
Swamps and marshes
remove pollutants
For jobs
One billion people depend
on wetlands
for their livelihoods