Today we mark the World Wetlands Day, Feb 2th. This year's theme is 'Wetlands and Human Wellbeing'. The 2024 Campaign highlights that urgent action is needed to conserve and restore these biodiversity-rich ecosystems that underpin human wellbeing.

Each year, the day is marked with a different theme relating to the diverse benefits of wetlands to humanity and nature. This year, World Wetlands Day highlights the connection that people have had with wetlands throughout their existence.

International research shows that since 1700, nearly 90% of the world's wetlands have degraded, and humanity is losing wetlands at three times the rate of forest loss. Wetlands are critical ecosystems that contribute to biodiversity, climate change mitigation and adaptation, freshwater availability, and the development of the global economy. We urgently need to raise national and global awareness of wetlands to reverse the trend of their rapid loss and to encourage action to protect and restore them.

World Wetlands Day is a global campaign under the auspices of the United Nations. Since 2022, it has been designated as an international day to enable all nations and people of the world to come together to promote awareness, appreciation and action for wetlands.

The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance was signed in Ramsar, Iran on February 2th, 1971. Each year the day is celebrated with a different theme related to the diverse benefits of wetlands to humanity and nature.

Bulgaria was among the first countries to join the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. In the list of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites) our country is represented by 11 wetlands with a total area of 49 912,43 ha, which represents 0,45 % of the territory of the country - "Atanasovsko lake", "Belenski islands" Complex, "Durankulak lake", "Ibisha Island", "Shabla Lake", "Poda Locality", "Pomorie Lake", "Ropotamo Complex", "Srebarna Lake", "Vaya Lake" and "Dragoman Swamp Karst Complex".

Information about wetlands of global importance in Bulgaria (Ramsar Sites) can be found HERE.

Presentation "Wetlands and People. Life intertwined"