Why it is time to demystify our wetlands

Earlier this month, India put forth a proposal to add 26 wetlands under the Ramsar Convention. In fact, the National Wetland Decadal Change Atlas – published by the Space Application Centre earlier this year – shows that coastal wetlands are declining at the fastest rate. Ritesh Kumar, director of Wetlands International South Asia, however, thinks it’s time to revise the wetland conservation narrative. As Wetlands International South Asia, part of global non-profit organisation Wetlands International, completes 25 years this year, Kumar spoke to Lounge about how wetlands play a crucial part in climate mitigation, the status of wetland conservation in India, and how Delhi and Tamil Nadu are serious about wetland conservation. Meanwhile, Delhi government has been proactive in pursing wetland conservation and created an inventory of over 1,000 wetlands.