World risks up to US$39t in economic losses from vanishing wetlands, report says
Some 22 per cent of wetlands, both freshwater systems such as peat lands, rivers and lakes, and coastal marine systems including mangroves and coral reefs, have disappeared since 1970, according to the intergovernmental report, the fastest pace of loss of any ecosystem.
Pressures, including land-use change, pollution, agricultural expansion, invasive species, and the impacts of climate change - such as rising sea levels and drought - are driving the declines.
'The scale of loss and degradation is beyond what we can afford to ignore,' said Hugh Robertson, the lead author of the report.
The report called for annual investments of US$275 billion to US$550 billion to reverse the threats to the remaining wetlands, and said current spending was a 'substantial under-investment' without giving figures.
The world has lost 411 million hectares of wetlands, the equivalent of half a billion football pitches, and a quarter of the remaining wetlands are now classified as in a state of degradation, according to the report.
Wetlands' economic benefits include flood regulation, water purification and carbon storage - key as water levels rise and tropical storms and hurricanes intensify due to climate change.
They also support the fishery and agriculture industries and offer cultural benefits.
The report launches a week before the Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, meeting of the parties of the Convention on Wetlands, a global agreement of 172 countries signed in 1971 to spearhead preservation of the ecosystem.
The group, which includes China, Russia and the United States, meets every three years, but it is unclear if all nations will send delegates.
Wetland deterioration is particularly acute in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, but is worsening in Europe and North America, the report said.
Rehabilitation projects are under way in countries including Zambia, Cambodia and China. — Reuters
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
2 days ago
- Malay Mail
‘We were born into the peatlands': Inside Indonesia's grassroots battle for the swamps
LEBUNG ITAM, July 26 — Indonesian environmentalist Pralensa steered his boat through a shallow canal in the marshy peatlands near his village, an environment he fears may soon disappear. His oar stirred up rich organic material in the brackish water, evidence of the layers of plant matter that make peatlands vital carbon dioxide stores and key to biodiversity. Indonesia has more tropical peatland than any other country, but it is also quickly losing this poorly understood ecosystem. That affects local residents and wildlife but also has global impacts, because converted peatland can release vast quantities of planet-warming carbon dioxide. Just 18.4 per cent of Indonesia's peatlands remain 'undisturbed', a 2023 study found, with vast tracts now palm oil or timber plantations. Pralensa worries a similar fate awaits much of the swampy peatland around his village of Lebung Itam in South Sumatra. An aerial view of a palm oil plantation (right) and a peatland forest in Bangsal, South Sumatra June 10, 2025. — AFP pic Locals say palm oil firm Bintang Harapan Palma has already begun digging canals to drain the peatlands for planting. 'We protested... we told them this is a community-managed area,' said Pralensa, who, like many Indonesians, uses a single name. 'According to them, they already have rights to this land.' Bintang Harapan Palma did not respond to AFP's request for comment. Peatlands are an in-between place -- seemingly neither water nor land -- an environment that slows plant decomposition and forms carbon-rich peat. Covering just 3 per cent of the world's surface, they hold an estimated 44 per cent of all soil carbon. Indonesia's peatlands are home to endangered orangutans, as well as economically important fish species. They also help prevent flooding and drought, lower local temperatures and minimise saltwater intrusion. For Pralensa, peatlands are no less than a 'spiritual bond'. 'From the moment that we exist, that we're born, we are aware of this peatland. We encounter it every moment of every day,' the 44-year-old said. Angkut Join, the head of Bangsal village, poses for a picture at the edge of the seasonally dry peat swamp in Bangsal, South Sumatra June 10, 2025. — AFP pic Catastrophic fires Indonesia's peatland has long been converted for agriculture, drained of the water that is its lifeblood, with severe consequences. Dry peat is highly flammable, and fire can smoulder underground and reignite seemingly at will. Peatlands were a leading cause of Indonesia's catastrophic 2015 fires, which burned through an area about 4.5 times the size of Bali and cost the country some $16.1 billion, or about two per cent of GDP, according to the World Bank. The blazes sparked calls for action, including a moratorium on new peatland concessions. Government regulations adopted the following year banned several damaging activities, including burning and drying out peatland. The environment ministry did not respond to questions submitted by AFP. Marda Ellius, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit against three companies accused of causing wildfires, poses on a hammock next to the seasonally dry peat swamp in Bangsal, South Sumatra June 10, 2025. — AFP pic 'Weak oversight and law enforcement in Indonesia allow the exploitation of peatlands to continue,' said Wahyu Perdana at peatland preservation NGO Pantau Gambut. And fires still happen 'almost every year,' said Rohman, a farmer in Bangsal village, around two hours west of Lebung Itam. Like Lebung Itam, it is ringed by plantations on converted peatland. Bangsal residents could once rely on vast wetlands to feed their distinctive buffalo, which dive beneath the water to graze. Fish traps supplied additional income, along with small rice paddies. Now, buffalo are hemmed in by plantations, while fish are affected by walls that keep the plantations dry, and fertilisers and herbicides flushed out by rain. Indonesia has more tropical peatland than any country, but it is also quickly losing this poorly understood ecosystem. That affects local residents and wildlife but also has global impacts, because converted peatland can release vast quantities of planet-warming carbon dioxide. — AFP pic 'We must protect nature' Plantation infrastructure prevents water from subsiding properly when the rains end, complicating rice planting And then there is the seasonal haze. 'It's difficult to do anything' when it descends, said Rohman, with visibility sometimes dropping to just a few metres. Everything from 'economic activity to children playing and learning is very disrupted'. Rohman, 53, was one of several plaintiffs from Bangsal and Lebung Itam who filed a landmark lawsuit over the fires. They argued three companies with nearby timber plantations on peatland bore legal responsibility for the health, economic and social impacts of local fires. Filing the suit was not an easy decision, said Bangsal schoolteacher Marda Ellius, who alleges a company named in the case offered her money and help for her family if she withdrew. 'I kept thinking that, from the beginning, my goal here was for the environment, for many people,' she said. 'I chose to continue.' Water buffalo graze on aquatic plants in the seasonally dry peat swamp in Bangsal, South Sumatra June 11, 2025. — AFP pic AFP could not reach the companies named in the suit. Major firm Asia Pulp & Paper (APP), which buys from the three companies, did not respond. This month, a local court rejected the suit, saying the plaintiffs lacked standing. 'The pain cannot be described,' plaintiff Muhammad Awal Gunadi said of the ruling. 'It was tough because we were facing corporations. The group has pledged to appeal, and Bangsal's villagers are lobbying local government for a new designation to protect their remaining peatland. Healthy peat is 'like the lungs of the Earth,' said Bangsal resident and buffalo farmer Muhammad Husin. 'Hopefully, if we protect nature, nature will also protect us.' — AFP
The Sun
20-07-2025
- The Sun
Tanjung Bidara coastal upgrade project on track, says Melaka Exco
ALOR GAJAH: The Tanjung Bidara coastal upgrading project is progressing smoothly without delays, according to Melaka Senior Executive Councillor Datuk Rais Yasin. As of June 25, the project has achieved 40 per cent physical completion, five per cent ahead of schedule. Datuk Rais Yasin, who oversees Housing, Local Government, Drainage, Climate Change, and Disaster Management, stated that the project remains on track for completion by September 14, 2026. He dismissed claims of suspension, clarifying that any temporary pauses were due to necessary design revisions rather than delays. 'Although there was a temporary pause in physical works at the site due to necessary changes in the original design following structural impacts caused by wave action, the project was never suspended,' he said. The RM2.29 million project, which began on August 15 last year, aims to protect the Tanjung Bidara coastline from erosion and high tide effects. The Coastal Zone Management Division (BPZP) of the Melaka Department of Irrigation and Drainage (JPS) reassessed the original design to ensure long-term coastal protection. - Bernama
Malay Mail
18-07-2025
- Malay Mail
Environmentalism needs the soul — Azizi Abu Bakar
JULY 18 — In Malaysia, conversations about the environment are everywhere — from school murals to government masterplans. We talk about climate change, biodiversity, clean energy, and zero waste. Yet despite this growing awareness, our rivers are still polluted, and our forests still falling. Why? Because we often forget that caring for the environment is not only a scientific issue — it is a deeply human one. We're taught to treat environmentalism as a technical puzzle: install solar panels, reduce emissions, calculate carbon footprints. But the planet isn't just a system to be fixed. It's a relationship to be mended. And relationships don't thrive on data alone — they require empathy, care, and meaning. I've seen community projects struggle because they lacked this emotional connection. Without a sense of belonging or shared purpose, even the best-funded initiatives fall flat. Environmentalism loses its power when it becomes transactional. It regains that power when it becomes personal. We usually don't protect what we don't feel connected to. Today, environmental activists across Malaysia are out there cleaning rivers, picking up trash, restoring forests. But their work should never be misunderstood as simply correcting what others — whether locals or tourists — have done wrong. These acts are not punishment. They are invitations. They are living examples of hope. In Malay culture, we call this suri teladan — to lead by example. When someone bends down to collect a plastic bottle from the riverbank, they are not just removing trash. They are reminding us what dignity and care look like. They are performing a small, visible act of devotion to the mother earth, in hopes that others will feel moved to do the same. Goodness is contagious. When we witness someone doing good, it awakens something inside us. We feel inspired to join in. And that is how transformation spreads — not by force, but by example. Some people hesitate to speak out about environmental issues because they fear being seen as hypocrites. 'How can I talk about zero waste if I still use plastic?' 'How can I ask others to plant trees if I haven't yet planted one?' But here's the truth: it is okay to call others to do good even if you're still trying to do it yourself. Every change begins with an intention. Every good habit starts with a conversation, a reminder, a nudge. Sometimes, saying it out loud — even before we fully live it — is part of becoming the person who eventually does. What matters is sincerity. When we speak from the heart, not to lecture but to spark thought, we're helping to build the foundation for action both in others and in ourselves. Environmentalist should never be misunderstood as simply correcting what others have done wrong. — Picture fron Unsplash/Colin Meg In many ways, Malaysians are still being pampered by a system that protects us from inconvenience. For example, we are not yet required to strictly segregate domestic waste. We're not faced with the reality that our unseparated garbage could be left in front of our homes indefinitely, or that we would have to wait until a certain day — and only that day — for it to be collected. We may say, 'It's fine, we still have land,' but the real question is: do we need to wait until we have no other choice but to live on top of it? Environmental action shouldn't begin only when we're pushed to the edge. It should begin with awareness and a willingness to shift — even before crisis forces us to. Comfort is not an excuse for complacency. The good news is we can change. We've seen it before. There was a time when people in Malaysia casually used parking spots designated for persons with disabilities. But after constant exposure through television commercial breaks, social media reminders, and signage campaigns — something clicked. Today, most people respect those parking spaces without question. It's not just about enforcement. It's about a collective shift in values. We now understand that those spaces are a matter of dignity and fairness. We learned to do the right thing, even when no one was watching. This is proof that when values are communicated consistently and compassionately, people respond. Although I work in an office setting, I once took the opportunity to join a beach cleanup activity at selected beaches in Pahang and Terengganu. It was part of a research programme focused on identifying plastic waste in coastal environments. Our centre's director was one of the co-investigators and joined us in the activity. At first, I joined out of curiosity — I wanted to experience something new in life. But the experience shifted my perspective completely. As we picked up all sorts of trash along the beach, I saw and felt how much waste ends up where it shouldn't — not only waste manufactured locally that I was familiar with, but also foreign-labelled waste, including from countries like Vietnam. I remembered what I'd learned: plastic takes around 450 years to decompose. And suddenly, it wasn't just a fact — it was real. Tangible. Heavy in my hands. It struck me — this is not just a programme. It's a reflection of what we owe to the environment. It's not the sole responsibility of cleaning staff. It's all of us. We don't do this every day — we still have other responsibilities and tasks — but we show up when we can, because it matters. Today it might be us. Tomorrow, it could be you. We all have a role to play. A similar situation reminded me of this truth during a river cleanup along the Selangor River, which I joined as part of a mobility programme with Australian students. As we collected waste along the riverbank, we discovered that more than half of what we picked up was recyclable. It made me wonder — if we all truly understood that these materials could have been sorted and repurposed, there would be far less waste to begin with. More importantly, none of it should have ended up in the river at all. This is not something that takes complex policy to fix — it's something that can be avoided if we all simply remember that rivers are not a dumping ground. And it made me reflect further — why do we Malaysians admire good practices abroad, but rarely bring them home? We see how people in other countries clear their tables in restaurants, manage their waste responsibly, or act with basic courtesy in shared spaces. Why can't we do the same here? Yes, it's someone's job to clean up — but wouldn't it be kinder if we made it easier for them? During that same beach cleanup, something unexpected happened — the van driver who had been with us throughout the trip quietly began collecting trash too. He had seen us doing it. He had listened to our conversations. And in that moment, he must have understood the purpose behind what we were doing — that it wasn't just about picking up rubbish, but about protecting something shared. He made the decision to join — not because we asked, but because he recognised the need. That reminded me that change doesn't always start with bold campaigns or big speeches. Sometimes, it happens when someone sees a meaningful act and quietly decides this is worth doing. That's why we must keep talking about the environment — at work, at home, with friends, with strangers. Talk about it until it reaches the soul of someone else. That is how movements grow — not only through action, but through reflection, storytelling, and example. That is how we build a greener, kinder Malaysia together. * Dr Azizi Abu Bakar is a research officer at Universiti Malaya Sustainable Development Centre (UMSDC). ** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
