On the occasion of the World Wetlands Day - February 2, a call was opened by the Wetlands Action Fund for project ideas related to the theme for 2022 “Wetlands for People and Nature”.

The Ramsar Convention Secretariat invites individuals, civic organizations, and social enterprises from around the world to submit proposals for small projects or initiatives aimed at contributing to the protection, restoration, or improvement of wetlands management. The winning project idea or initiative will receive a € 10,000 grant from “Danone”.

Anyone aged 18 and over can apply for the grant individually or as part of a civic organization or social enterprise.

Applications for the 2022 grant are open from today, 2 February 2022 until 2 March 2022 at: https://www.worldwetlandsday.org/grant. The winner and the three finalists will be announced on 22 March 2022 – the World Water Day.

The 2022 grant supports ideas for ongoing or planned initiatives around the world that can be implemented in areas with similar characteristics. Eligible ideas may include:

• Techniques for protection, restoration, and prudent use of wetland ecosystems, including their resources;
• Community efforts or commitment to a cause that benefits wetlands, such as designation as a protected area or wetland clean-up activities, etc.;
• Initiatives to support the creation of alternative livelihoods to reduce pressure on wetlands;
• Initiatives or actions that will lead to long-term protection and conservation of wetlands;
• Research or scientific project to increase knowledge and understanding of wetlands.

This year for the first time World Wetlands Day is officially celebrated under the auspices of the United Nations - February 2 was declared International Wetlands Day by the UN General Assembly resolution of 30 August 2021.

The main message of this year’s campaign theme is to value, manage, restore, and, of course, love wetlands because if we want to inspire conservation actions, we need to be more involved with these rapidly disappearing ecosystems.

Wetlands are rich in biodiversity and major ecosystems. They cover approximately 6% of the Earth’s land surface. They can constitute of saltwater or freshwater, can be inland or coastal, natural or man-made.

• Freshwater wetlands: rivers, lakes, springs, floodplains, peatlands, marshes, swamps;
• Salt wetlands: estuaries, mud shoals, salt marshes, mangrove forests, lagoons, coral reefs, mussel reefs;
• Man-made: fishponds, rice paddies, dams, salt pans.

Natural wetlands disappear:

• 35% of the world’s wetlands have disappeared since 1970;
• Wetlands are disappearing three times faster than forests;
• Wetland-dependent plant and animal species are at risk of extinction;
• Human well-being, livelihoods, and health on the planet are at stake.

The loss of wetlands affects people and the planet in different directions.

Water security

• Wetlands provide almost all fresh water;
• Wetlands are the kidneys of the Earth. Their silt-rich soil and plants filter out harmful toxins, agricultural pesticides, and industrial waste and thus provide safe drinking water.
• The 2018 UN Water Report recognizes wetlands as nature-based solutions that can help improve water quality.
• Already 2.2 billion people in the world are without safe drinking water and 485 000 die every year.
• Uncertainty about access to water has been at the root of conflicts in at least 45 countries in 2017.

Prosperity and culture

• Wetlands provide places for recreation, cultural activities, and mental health benefits related to interaction with nature.

Three actions we can take in response to the threat of wetland loss:

EVALUATE their many benefits and solutions based on nature.

MANAGE wisely and use sustainably to preserve and maintain them.

RESTORE biodiversity and life in them.

Information on World Wetlands Day, as well as materials on the subject, are available on the Ramsar Convention website - http://www.ramsar.org, at World Wetlands Day level.

You can see a presentation on the topic of the 2022 campaign HERE.