Rising demands threaten wetlands

The recent surge in demand for food and biofuel has increased the risks facing the world’s wetlands, warn scientists.

A declaration by 700 scientists said the habitats faced a growing risk of being converted into farmland.
It also stated that the current knowledge of the extent of the world’s wetlands was “unacceptable” and called for a global inventory to be set up.

The document was produced at the end of a UN-convened major scientific conference in Cuiaba, Brazil.

In their statement, the scientists highlighted other activities that were degrading the habitats, such as peat extraction and the construction of hydro-electricity dams.

“It is time to recognise the incalculable value of wetlands to all species – including ours,” said Paulo Teixeira, co-chairman of the 8th Intecol International Wetlands Conference.

“If we don’t plan and invest properly now, the cost to recreate artificially the services wetlands provide will dwarf the cost of preserving and protecting them in the first place.”

BBC