India’s Wetlands Resolution Adopted at Ramsar COP15
Why in the news
A resolution moved by India, titled Promoting Sustainable Lifestyles for the Wise Use of Wetlands, was adopted at the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Ramsar Convention in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
Key facts
- India’s text encourages conscious consumption, less waste and behaviour change to protect wetlands; it draws on UNEA Resolution 6/8 (2024).
- COP15 adopted the 5th Ramsar Strategic Plan with 4 goals and 18 targets, to be tracked by the Scientific and Technical Review Panel.
- Other outcomes: the Victoria Falls Declaration on political commitment and resources, and 13 resolutions covering flyways, river dolphins and wetland restoration.
- India says over 1.7 lakh wetlands are mapped and nearly 1.2 lakh have demarcated boundaries, with more than 2 million citizen volunteers involved in three years.
About the Ramsar Convention and Mission LiFE
- The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands dates from 1971; its core idea is wise use, meaning keeping a wetland’s ecological character within sustainable development.
- Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) promotes pro-planet behaviour and was launched at COP26 in Glasgow.
- India’s mapping work ran through Mission Sahbhagita and the Save Wetlands Campaign.
Exam angle
- Remember the venue: Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, for COP15.
- Numbers to note: 4 goals and 18 targets in the 5th Strategic Plan; Convention year 1971.
- Link the resolution to Mission LiFE (COP26) and UNEA Resolution 6/8 for environment-conference questions.