World Wetlands Day 2026: India’s 98 Ramsar Sites and Public Good Value
Why in the news
On World Wetlands Day 2026 India added two Ramsar sites, reaching 98 and leading South Asia. The occasion also revived the argument that wetlands are a national public good.
Key facts
- Theme 2026: Wetlands and traditional knowledge.
- New Ramsar sites: Patna Bird Sanctuary (Uttar Pradesh) and Chhari-Dhand (Gujarat).
- Total: 98 Ramsar sites, the highest in South Asia; Tamil Nadu leads with 20.
- Area: roughly 5% of India’s land, about 15.9 million hectares.
- Loss: close to 40% of natural wetlands gone in three decades, and degradation persists even inside notified wetlands.
| Wetland | Public-good service | Illustration |
|---|---|---|
| Deepor Beel | Flood moderation | Takes in about 40% of Brahmaputra overflow, shielding Guwahati |
| East Kolkata Wetlands | Water purification | Treats around 750 million litres of sewage each day |
| Bhitarkanika Mangroves | Climate resilience | Cut wind impact of Cyclone Dana (2024) on inland settlements |
| Kuttanad | Livelihoods | Below-sea-level farming yielding over 6 lakh tonnes of rice a year |
| Chhari-Dhand | Biodiversity | Hosts flamingos; breeding site for the Desert Fox |
About wetlands
- Ecosystems where land stays waterlogged for all or part of the year; water may be fresh, brackish or saline.
- Examples: marshes, swamps, floodplains, mangroves, peatlands, lakes, lagoons, tanks and paddy fields.
- Defining traits: hydrology, hydric soils, hydrophytes, and ecotone status between land and water.
Why a public good
- Benefits cannot easily be denied to anyone (non-excludable) and one user’s gain does not reduce another’s (non-rivalrous).
- Markets undervalue services such as flood control, groundwater recharge, purification and carbon storage.
- Wetlands shelter about 40% of global species.
Exam angle
- Theme of World Wetlands Day 2026.
- Newest Ramsar additions and the state-wise leader (Tamil Nadu).
- Distinguish non-excludable from non-rivalrous goods; wetland as an ecotone.