International Wetland City Accreditation

• 08 Jan 2024

India has recently officially submitted nominations for the accreditation of three cities—Indore, Bhopal, and Udaipur—as international wetland cities, marking the country's first entries for Wetland City Accreditation.

Key Points

• Historic Nominations: Indore, Bhopal, and Udaipur are the inaugural Indian cities nominated for Wetland City Accreditation. The submissions stem from collaborative proposals between state wetland authorities and municipal cooperation.
• Ramsar Convention Approval: The Wetland City Accreditation system was approved by the Ramsar Convention during COP12 in 2015.
• The voluntary scheme aims to encourage the conservation and sustainable use of urban and peri-urban wetlands, offering socio-economic benefits for local populations.
• Minister's Insight: Environment Minister highlighted the scheme's objective to promote conservation and wise use of wetlands, providing socio-economic benefits.
• Citizens' Benefits: The wetlands in and around the nominated cities, such as Sirpur Wetland and Yashwant Sagar in Indore, Bhoj Wetland in Bhopal, and various lakes in and around Udaipur, contribute significantly to flood regulation, livelihood opportunities, and recreational and cultural values for citizens.
• International Recognition: The Wetland City Accreditation system, established under Resolution XII.10 during COP12, acknowledges cities that take exceptional measures to safeguard their urban wetlands. The nomination of these Indian cities reflects a commitment to wetland conservation and protection.
• Rationale for Nominations: The importance of wetlands in urban and peri-urban environments prompted the Ramsar Convention to create the voluntary accreditation system.
• Cities recognized under this scheme demonstrate outstanding initiatives to preserve their urban wetlands, contributing to global wetland conservation efforts.