WWN introduction
In 2024, volunteers from more than 400 wetland sites around the world shared their knowledge with the World Wetland Network (WWN) through our global survey. They completed a detailed online questionnaire about the health and status of their local wetland ecosystems. Some participants have spent years living near and caring for these wetlands; others are new to this work. Every voice matters.
Together, their insights have helped us build a clearer global picture of wetland health and how these precious places are changing over time. This is the third time WWN has run this survey, adding to what we learned in 2017 and 2020. The results are both hopeful and worrying. Wetlands around the world are under pressure, with clear evidence of ongoing loss and degradation, with Africa emerging as the region with the highest proportion of wetlands in poor health. This global wetland degradation threatens not only biodiversity, but also the livelihoods and wellbeing of millions who depend on these vital ecosystems.
But we also see resilience, recovery, and hope. This report showcases those positive examples to demonstrate what’s possible when we work together. Community engagement, local action, strong cultural values, academic input, and careful management all make a meaningful difference. This is not just a report presenting data. It’s a call to action. It shows the power of community science. It shows why listening to local knowledge of wetlands matters. And it shows that when we work together, we can protect wetlands. We invite you, whether you are a policymaker, an NGO, an educator, an academic, or a concerned community member, to use this report to help guide your work. We hope it strengthens your voice and brings more people to join the movement. Because understanding is the first step toward protection. Action must follow. Wetlands need us and the future of our planet depends on what we do next.
Summary and Recommendations
1
People play a big role in the fate of wetlands – for better or worse. More often than not, cultural values and traditions help protect and care for wetlands showing that humans can be powerful stewards of wetlands now and into the future. Yet human activity can also cause harm. Encouragingly, tourism is now showing more positive impacts than in our previous surveys.
Recommendation: Improve access to practical, locally relevant information about wetlands by implementing the Convention on Wetlands Programme on communication, capacity building, education, participation and awareness (CEPA) and by using insights from this survey.
2
Almost half of the world’s wetlands are in decline, with increasing pressures from pollution, land conversion, invasive species and climate change. Alarmingly, not enough wetlands are showing any signs of recovery, despite decades of global conservation efforts. This trend highlights the urgent need for stronger, more coordinated action.
Recommendation: Governments, civil society, and the private sector must prioritise wetland restoration and protection as part of their climate, biodiversity, and sustainable development commitments.
3
Being designated as a Wetland of International Importance, or Ramsar Site, is having a greater positive impact than in past years of our study. However, on average, these sites now fare about the same as those without any official designation. That’s where civil society plays a vital role. Local groups and communities can not only advocate for new designations but also help ensure that designated sites live up to their international importance – by supporting, monitoring, and complementing government efforts on the ground.
Recommendation: Convention on Wetlands Contracting Parties should strengthen the post designation management and resourcing of Ramsar Sites, including through participatory governance mechanisms that meaningfully involve local communities, Indigenous Peoples, civil society organizations, and local educational institutions. National wetland authorities should work with these partners to develop site-specific management plans, allocate adequate funding, update Ramsar Information Sheets (RIS), and ensure ongoing monitoring to maintain and enhance the ecological character of Ramsar Sites.
4
There’s good news – some wetlands are improving, with Europe showing the most progress. Stronger management, conservation policies, and community action are helping drive recovery. However, Europe had already lost more wetlands than most regions, so despite recent gains, there is still a significant net loss. Continued investment and action are needed to rebuild what has been lost.
Recommendation: Governments and partners should study and build on these successes by scaling up restoration efforts, setting clear targets, and sharing lessons with other regions to close the global restoration gap.
5
Wetlands in Latin America and the Caribbean are expanding more than anywhere else, bucking the global trend. Yet this growth is not improving overall wetland health. The region shows the highest level of deterioration, with fewer than 9% of wetlands showing signs of recovery.
Recommendation: Leaders and partners should bolster wetland expansion with stronger management and restoration to ensure growth leads to real ecological and community benefits.
6
A quarter of survey responses came from government representatives, and 28% from NGOs. As a network of wetland-focused NGOs, WWN has seen firsthand the power of civil society (including academic partners) to help turn the Convention on Wetlands from words into action. When governments and civil society work together, policy can become real, bring lasting progress on the ground.
Recommendation: We encourage governments to strengthen partnerships with NGOs, Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and academic experts to ensure local knowledge, leadership, and efforts are fully supported and resourced in actionable wetland strategies and action plans.
How this survey can help you stop wetland deterioration and loss
Born from a global collaboration between conservationists, scientists, and hundreds of passionate citizen scientists, this survey gives us a clearer picture of how the world’s wetlands are changing, and how we can respond.
By gathering data from wetlands across the globe, we aim to support, more informed decision-making at every level – from local wetland restoration projects to global policy discussions under the Convention on Wetlands. The insights from the previous surveys didn’t just sit on a shelf. They made their way to the global stage where they were shared at side events during COP13 and COP14 of the Convention on Wetlands. They also contributed to the Global Wetland Outlook: Special Edition 2021 and sparked important conversations within the Society of Wetland Scientists (SWS) and beyond. But most importantly, this survey is designed to help you take action, whether you’re a community leader, researcher or concerned citizen, or you’re from a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) or a Civil Society Organisation (CSO).
This survey provides the evidence you need to
- Influence local, national, and international decisions
- Show what’s working on the ground – from cultural traditions and community engagement to well-crafted management plans
- Track and share changes in wetland size and health over time
- Identify key drivers of deterioration and recovery
- Highlight the urgent need for protection and restoration
This report is more than a snapshot of wetland health. It’s a tool for change.
We encourage you to use this report widely. Share it with communities, policymakers, funders, and fellow wetland stewards. Use it to support your advocacy, inform your strategies, and strengthen your voice. If you haven’t already, consider becoming part of the wider wetland community by joining networks like the World Wetland Network, Society of Wetland Scientists, or a local organisation that shares your commitment. Together, our collective knowledge, energy, and advocacy can make a powerful difference to the future of the wetlands we love.
Look up your closest representative at: SWS.org WorldWetland.Network CobraCollective.org
We also invite you to:
- Set up a regular monitoring plan for your wetland – consistent observation leads to better protection
- Join us in the next round of this global survey – your knowledge can help shape the bigger picture
- Reach out for support – our science partners work in many countries and may be able to connect you with local wetland experts
What is the survey?
In 2024, over 400 wetlands spanning 80 countries around the world were assessed thanks to the incredible efforts of volunteer scientists and citizen contributors spanning multiple countries. This survey builds on previous participatory efforts carried out in 2017 and 2020, using a consistent methodology to track change over time. Participants completed a detailed online questionnaire designed to capture a qualitative snapshot of each wetland’s current state, as well as any trends in its condition – whether improving, declining, or holding steady. The questionnaire was made available in seven languages to ensure broad participation across diverse regions and communities. Respondents ranged from long-time observers who have known their wetlands for decades, to newer stewards who are just beginning to form that connection. Each perspective added valuable insight into the pressures, successes, and lived realities of wetland ecosystems. Once collected, the data were analysed using the regional groupings of the Convention on Wetlands, helping us draw out both global trends and region-specific patterns in wetland health.
Changes in area of wetlands
It’s concerning that over a third of our wetlands have shrunk over time, while only 17.7% have grown in size since the respondent has known the wetland. The silver lining? Nearly half have stayed the same.
How has the area of our wetlands changed since COP13? Since COP13 in 2018, a quarter of the world’s wetlands have shrunk, while only 14.4% have grown.
How has the area of Ramsar compared to non Ramsar wetland sites changed, since known by respondents?
156 of the places in the survey are Wetlands of International Importance under the Convention on Wetlands (also known as Ramsar Sites), 225 are not. It’s alarming that for as long as participants have known the wetland they reported on, more Ramsar Sites (41.1%) have experienced a decrease in wetland area compared to non Ramsar Sites (29.9%) despite the additional protection they get.
Which regions have seen the greatest change in wetland area since COP13?
Since COP13 in 2018, South America and the Caribbean have suffered the greatest loss of wetlands (53.5%), while the largest increase has been observed in North America (20.5%).
What state are our wetlands in?
Global state of our wetland health
There’s reason for hope. Over a third of the world’s wetlands are in good shape and nearly three quarters are in good or fair condition.
How does the health of our wetlands vary around the world?
When we look around the world, North America stands out with the highest number of wetlands in good condition. On the other hand, Africa has the largest share of wetlands in poor health – highlighting an urgent need for action and support.
How is the health of our wetlands changing?
Overall change in the state of the wetland in all the time the respondent has known the wetland Across the time our participants have known them, far more wetlands have declined than improved. It’s a sobering reality – 48% have worsened, while just 29.6% have shown signs of recovery.
Overall change in wetland health since COP13
What’s especially worrying, is that this trend hasn’t slowed. Since COP13 in 2018, more than 40% of wetlands have continued to deteriorate.
Which regions have seen the greatest changes in wetland health since COP13?
Wetland health has taken the biggest hit in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa and Oceania, while the most progress has been seen in Europe and Asia. Since COP13 in 2018, the pattern has stayed much the same, though there’s a hopeful sign in Oceania, where more wetlands are now showing signs of recovery.
How has the health of Ramsar wetlands changed, since known by respondents?
It’s worrying to see that in the time participants have known their wetland, more Ramsar Sites have deteriorated more than other wetlands, with 59% showing decline compared to 42%. However, there’s a glimmer of hope. Since our last study, Ramsar Sites have shown slightly more improvement than non-designated wetlands, suggesting that focused attention and protection can make a difference.
Causes of changes in wetland health
While the regional nature of this analysis makes it tricky to pinpoint exact causes, our network of participants has helped us draw some meaningful conclusions. So, what’s the strongest positive influence on wetland health? Local community awareness, closely followed by conservation efforts. Cultural and traditional values, along with tourism also continue to play an important role in supporting healthier wetlands. In fact, these four top positive drivers have remained consistent since our last study. On the flip side, wetland deterioration is linked to a range of pressures. Urban and industrial development, pollution, and the spread of invasive species were identified as major threats in over a third of sites. Interestingly, activities like fishing, forestry, and agriculture were seen as both helping and harming wetlands – highlighting the importance of how these practices are managed. Tourism showed a similar dual effect, but there’s encouraging news: it was reported as having a positive impact at 41% of sites, compared to just 17% where it was seen as harmful, a notable improvement compared to the previous study. Still, overall, negative influences were mentioned more often than positive ones – reminding us how important it is to protect and restore wetlands and support the people and practices that help these valuable places thrive.
What is causing these changes in wetland health?
Report authors: Kim Diana Connolly, Agatha Chisha, Connor Walsh
Science team
María Elisa Sánchez and Jacob Staines
Matthew Simpson
Robert J. McInnes
Nick Davidson
Max Finlayson
Tatiana Lobato de Magalhães
Special thanks to Jacob Staines and María Elisa Sánchez for GIS data wrangling.
PDF version produced by WWT. Marketing lead: Emma Faure. Editor: Kate Conway. Design: Dave White and Mhari Hazell.
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