Wetlands: the foundation of water security
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Climate and disaster risks
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Climate mitigation and adaptation
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Coastal resilience
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Water
Water is life – coursing through ecosystems, sustaining different life forms, supporting agriculture and livelihoods, driving economies, and safeguarding human well-being. However, discussions around water security stay incomplete without factoring in the ecosystems that sustain it. Water moves through a vast, interconnected web of wetland ecosystems that store, filter, and distribute it. From peatlands that act as freshwater reservoirs, to mangroves that shield coastlines, wetland ecosystems serve as nature’s waterkeepers, regulating its flow, replenishing supplies, and ensuring security and resilience to lives and livelihoods in a time of rapidly changing climate.
The relationship between wetlands and water
The hydrological cycle continuously moves water through the atmosphere, land, and oceans. Wetlands act as regulators within this system, slowing water movement to prevent rapid runoff, minimising soil erosion, and ensuring gradual release. By storing and filtering water, they reduce flood risks, recharge groundwater, and maintain stable flows essential for both human and ecological resilience.
Beyond regulating water availability, wetlands are also among nature’s most effective water filters. They trap sediments, break down pollutants, and remove excess nutrients, improving water quality. In fact, research explains that wetlands can remove up to 90% of sediments present in runoff. wetlands can remove up to 90% of sediments present in runoff.
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How wetlands ensure water resilience
Wetlands are indispensable to water security and resilience, serving as natural infrastructures providing critical ecosystem services that sustain freshwater supplies, protect against climate extremes, and ensure long-term water security.
Peatlands and marshes, for instance, hold vast amounts of water, slowly releasing it over time to maintain steady river flows and prevent droughts. Without wetlands, water systems become more volatile. Floods intensify, droughts last longer, and access to clean water becomes increasingly precarious. Mangroves, on the other hand, are vital for coastal security. They act as barriers against storm surges, reducing the impact of flooding while also filtering sediments and pollutants. By stabilising shorelines and preventing saltwater intrusion, mangroves help protect freshwater resources that millions of people rely on.
Lakes and riverine wetlands are equally critical in maintaining regional water balance. They function as filtration systems, trapping sediments and removing pollutants. Floodplains act as natural shock absorbers, absorbing excess rainwater during heavy storms to prevent floods, while also replenishing groundwater reserves that sustain communities through dry periods. As water levels drop, these floodplains release stored moisture, ensuring a continuous flow of freshwater for agriculture, drinking water, and hydropower.
The need for wetlands in NDCs and NAPs
Despite their critical importance, wetlands are disappearing at an alarming rate. Approximately 35% of the world’s wetlands were lost between 1970 and 2015, with annual rates of loss accelerating since 2000. In some regions, notably Asia, the loss is even higher. The degradation of wetlands threatens groundwater recharge, water purification, and flood mitigation, undermining climate resilience.
As wetland degradation accelerates, freshwater availability becomes increasingly precarious, making restoration efforts like the Freshwater Challenge more urgent than ever. The Freshwater Challenge, the largest restoration effort of its kind, aims to restore 300,000 km of rivers and 350 million hectares of wetlands by 2030.
If we are to meet global climate commitments, we must ensure the integration of wetland ecosystems into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Action Plans (NAPs).
Water is not just a resource — it is a living thread that connects all ecosystems, economies, and communities — with wetlands being the foundation of this connection. We cannot talk about global water security, climate resilience, or disaster prevention without recognizing the central role that wetlands play. Protecting wetlands is protecting our water. And protecting water is protecting life itself.