Wetlands: Earth's Unsung Climate Heroes
Picture this: vast marshes teeming with life, mangrove forests shielding coastlines, and peatlands storing more carbon than rainforests. As World Wetlands Day 2025 approaches, experts warn these ecosystems are vanishing three times faster than forests, threatening biodiversity and climate stability.
Why Protect Wetlands?
Ma Jun, a leading environmental researcher, explains: \"Wetlands are life support systems—they filter water, buffer floods, and store 30% of land-based carbon.\" Their degradation directly impacts 1 billion people reliant on wetland resources.
China's Restoration Momentum
- Restored 1M+ hectares since 2012 (equivalent to a London-sized area every 2 years)
- 65% of global mangrove expansion occurred in the Chinese mainland since 2000
- Pilot \"sponge cities\" using wetland principles to manage urban flooding
Global Collaboration as the Path Forward
Ali-Said Matano of the UN Water Convention stresses: \"This isn't about one country—80% of nations lack comprehensive wetland policies. We need data-sharing agreements and cross-border conservation funds.\" Emerging tech like AI-powered habitat mapping offers new hope for monitoring vulnerable ecosystems.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
