At first light, a wetland begins to stir. Mist rises from its still waters, frogs croak in the reeds, herons take flight, and insects hum in the undergrowth. Beneath this quiet surface lies a complex web of roots, microbes, nutrients, and water flows, a living system that regulates water, nurtures biodiversity, and stabilises the climate.
In India, wetlands are far more extensive than many realise. According to the National Wetland Decadal Change Atlas produced by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), wetlands cover about 15.98 million hectares, accounting for roughly 4.86 per cent of the country’s geographical area. Broader inventories that include smaller water bodies estimate the total wetland area at approximately 16.89 million hectares, or 5.12% of India’s land surface.
From the mangrove forests of the Sundarbans to the freshwater marshes of the Indo-Gangetic plains, these landscapes form the living pulse of our planet. They absorb water, filter pollutants, store carbon, and sustain millions of lives, both human and wild.
Why Wetlands Matter: The Unsung Heroes of Climate Action
Wetlands are often overlooked in global climate discussions that focus primarily on forests and oceans. Yet they are among the most efficient natural climate regulators on Earth. Globally, wetlands occupy only five to eight per cent of the planet’s land surface but hold around 20 to 30 per cent of all soil organic carbon.
In India, wetlands act as natural sponges, absorbing excess rainfall during the monsoon and releasing it gradually during dry periods. This helps mitigate floods and droughts, both of which are becoming more frequent as the climate changes.
Beyond water regulation, wetlands play a vital role in carbon sequestration. A 2025 field study in Assam found that the top 30 centimetres of soil in freshwater wetlands stored between 12,650 and 76,950 kilograms of carbon per hectare. Coastal ecosystems such as mangroves are even more powerful, sequestering three to four times more carbon per hectare than tropical forests.
However, these carbon sinks are fragile. When wetlands are drained, filled or polluted, the carbon stored in their soils is released into the atmosphere. Protecting wetlands is therefore not only an ecological priority but a climate imperative.
Nature’s Climate Warriors
Wetlands perform multiple ecological functions that make them indispensable in the fight against climate change. They moderate local temperatures, recharge groundwater, filter pollutants and protect coastlines by absorbing storm surges. In India, mangrove ecosystems such as those in the Sundarbans shield millions of people from the destructive impact of cyclones and coastal flooding.
Globally, an estimated 411 million hectares of wetlands, approximately 22 per cent of the total, have been lost since 1970, with about 25 per cent of the remaining wetlands in poor ecological condition.
India is making efforts to move against these global trends. As of 2024, the country had 85 Ramsar sites designated as wetlands of international importance, covering 1.35 million hectares. By 2025, this number had risen to 93 Ramsar sites, covering approximately 1.53 million hectares.
The Beating Heart of Biodiversity
Wetlands are the cradle of life. They provide essential breeding and feeding grounds for fish, amphibians, reptiles and migratory birds. In India, Chilika Lake in Odisha, Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon, supports more than 160 bird species and sustains the livelihoods of around 150,000 fisherfolk.
Similarly, Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Ramsar wetland, shelters more than 375 bird species, including the globally threatened Siberian Crane.
Urban wetlands also play a critical role. The Pallikaranai Marsh in Chennai, once covering approximately 5,500 hectares, has shrunk to around 700 hectares due to urbanisation, yet still supports over 100 bird species and numerous endemic amphibians and reptiles.
When wetlands thrive, entire ecosystems thrive, including human communities.
A Planet Under Pressure
Despite their importance, wetlands are disappearing at a pace three times faster than forests. The Ramsar Global Wetland Outlook 2025 estimates that the planet has lost roughly 22 per cent of its wetlands since 1970. In India, studies suggest that the country has lost nearly one-third of its wetlands over the past three decades, mainly due to agriculture, encroachment and pollution.
Every drained marsh and filled lake represents the loss of flood control, groundwater recharge, water purification and carbon storage. Each lost wetland is a step backwards in our collective fight for climate resilience.
Government Action: Protecting India’s Wetlands
In recent years, India has taken several policy measures and launched dedicated programmes to conserve its wetlands. The National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA), implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), serves as the country’s principal framework for wetland conservation and management. It aims to restore degraded wetlands, promote sustainable use and integrate conservation with local livelihoods.
In 2017, India notified the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, replacing the earlier 2010 regulations. These rules provide a legal framework for identifying and notifying wetlands and restricting activities such as reclamation, waste dumping and industrial development within their zones. Each state and Union Territory has established a State Wetland Authority to implement these rules and prepare management plans.
The government also launched the Wetlands of India Portal in 2021 as a central repository for wetland data, management plans and best practices. As of 2025, India had 93 Ramsar sites, making it one of the top five countries globally in terms of designated wetlands.
Flagship initiatives such as the Chilika Lake Restoration Programme in Odisha and the East Kolkata Wetlands Conservation Project illustrate India’s success in combining science, policy and community engagement. These efforts have become international models for sustainable wetland management.
The Tamil Nadu Wetlands Mission, in partnership with Citizen consumer and civic Action Group (CAG), implemented an awareness programme around Ennore Creek, Pallikaranai Marsh, and Pulicat Lake to strengthen community and school engagement in wetland conservation. Through puppet shows, folk performances, competitions, and bilingual educational materials, the initiative reached over 1,170 students and 300 community members.
The programme significantly enhanced public understanding of wetland importance and the harmful effects of practices such as waste dumping and encroachment. It also highlighted the need to integrate wetland education into school curricula and local governance, while promoting eco-sensitive livelihoods and digital engagement tools for long-term conservation.
This initiative demonstrates how locally rooted, participatory action can powerfully advance wetland conservation and resilience, reinforcing that wetlands are not only ecological assets but also vital to the state’s environmental and community well-being.
The Rhythm of Renewal
When you stand beside a healthy wetland, you can almost feel the Earth breathe. The air is cooler, the ground alive, and the water mirrors the sky like a heartbeat beneath our feet. These landscapes are more than ecosystems; they are the rhythm of renewal, the pulse of our living planet.
If we seek a stable climate, thriving biodiversity and a resilient India, we must listen to that pulse and ensure it never fades. Every act of protection matters: saying no to encroachment, reducing pollution, planting mangroves, restoring local lakes and supporting policies that put wetlands at the heart of climate planning.
Governments must prioritise wetlands in national climate and water policies, strengthen enforcement of conservation laws and allocate dedicated funds for wetland restoration and monitoring. State Wetland Authorities must engage with local communities, encourage research and integrate wetland health indicators into regional development plans.
Schools should educate children about wetlands; communities must take collective responsibility for their local water bodies, and citizens must demand stronger protection and accountability. Every level of society, from village councils to Parliament, plays a role in keeping these ecosystems alive.
The next time you walk past a marsh, a mangrove or a small city lake, remember it is not wasteland; it is life itself.
When we heal wetlands, we heal the Earth. And when we protect them, we protect ourselves.
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