Department of Conservation freshwater scientist Dr Hugh Robertson is the lead author of the Global Wetland Outlook 2025 report. Photo: Supplied / DoC
An international report, led by a Department of Conservation scientist, warns the world is on track to lose even more of its wetlands - but solutions exist that could help wetlands thrive.
Dr Hugh Robertson, a DOC freshwater scientist, was lead author of the Global Wetland Outlook 2025, and chair of the Scientific and Technical Review Panel of the International Convention on Wetlands.
He presented the report to the United Nations in Nairobi yesterday.
"New Zealand has lost 90 percent of our wetlands," Robertson said.
"This pattern is reflected internationally - over 400 million hectares of wetlands have vanished since 1970.
"And if the loss continues at its current rate, a further fifth of the world's remaining wetlands could be gone by 2050 unless we take action."
Wetlands provided food, regulated the global water cycle, removed water pollution, served as a buffer from the effects of sea level rise and storm surges, and stored carbon.
In New Zealand, wetlands were home to an abundance of taonga species - kahikatea, native ducks, rare orchids and mudfish, to name a few wetland plants and animals found nowhere else in the world.
"Losing a further fifth of wetlands globally will have enormous impact on people, nature and economies, amounting to losses of up to USD$39 trillion ($NZ65 trillion)," Robertson said.
However, he said the panel behind the report was at pains to lay out a pathway for conserving wetlands.
"The report suggests a combination of private and public financing could address the funding gaps, such as biodiversity credits," Robertson said.
"Recognising the essential role of wetlands to store, filter and regulate water flows, and treating wetlands as essential infrastructure will also hope to reverse wetlands loss.
"Restoration per hectare costs anything between USD$1000 and $70,000 (about NZ$1600 to $115,000), so conserving wetlands is cheaper than restoring them."
Global Wetland Outlook 2025 has been published in the lead-up to the Ramsar Wetlands Convention Conference of Parties (COP 15), taking place in Zimbabwe from 23 July.
Ramsar was a global treaty dedicated to promoting international cooperation and actions to protect wetlands.
At COP 15, countries would make decisions to address wetland loss and degradation and improve management of wetlands of international importance.
New Zealand's latest report on its internationally important wetlands (Ramsar sites), published earlier this year, would be tabled at COP15.
The report covered the recent, devastating fires at Awarua-Waituna and Whangamarino wetlands, as well as positive changes through the government's Jobs for Nature programme, DOC's Ngā Awa river restoration programme and partnering with tangata whenua to monitor wetland condition.
New Zealand had seven wetland sites listed as internationally significant under the Ramsar Wetland Convention and submitted international reporting updates on their condition every seven years.
They included Farewell Spit (Golden Bay), Firth of Thames (Hauraki Gulf), Koputai Peat Dome (Hauraki Plains), Manawatū Estuary (Foxton, Horowhenua), Awarua-Waituna Lagoon (Southland), Wairarapa Moana (Wairarapa) and Whangamarino Wetland (Northern Waikato).
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