Side event details

Wetlands, one of the most biodiversity-rich and productive ecosystems on the earth, are at high risk from climate change through temperature rise, changing precipitation and hydrology, increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, and sea-level rise.

On the other hand, wetlands also offer solutions to the global challenge of climate change. Healthy wetlands provide natural protection against extreme events such as storm surges and flooding, contribute to water and food security and build resilience to climate change. While the science on high climate co-benefits of wetlands has evolved, integrating climate risks into wetlands management at the operational level remains a challenge. Ramsar site managers need practical tools for climate risk assessment and guidance on integrating adaptation and mitigation measures into wetland management and wise use with multiple stakeholders. Understanding climate change risk is needed to improve the capacity of site managers to prioritise and plan appropriate adaptation and mitigation actions.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate, in partnership with GIZ, India and Wetlands International South Asia, has been implementing an International Climate Initiative (IKI) supported project in India, ‘Wetlands management for biodiversity and climate protection’, at four Ramsar sites in India, has developed an assessment methodology for site-level climate risks assessment. The project has demonstrated how climate risks could be integrated into the wetland management plan at the site level towards capturing climate co-benefits while maintaining the wise use approach of the Ramsar convention on wetlands. The experience and lessons learnt have been consolidated into a practical ‘Guidance document for site managers for integrating climate risks into wetland management’ considering the limited resources the site managers have at their disposal. The guidance document will serve as an important capacity development tool for all the Parties to the Ramsar Convention.

The side event will bring together the international and national experts, site managers and government officials involved in integrating climate risks into wetland management to present and share their experiences and lessons learnt with the international wetland community. A moderated panel discussion with experts, officials and practitioners will pave the way for bridging the science-policy-practice for wetlands as a climate solution and contribute to the draft resolution (Ramsar COP14 Doc.18.20) on wetlands as nature-based solutions to address climate crisis. This side event will be an opportunity for Contracting Parties to gain insights into capturing climate co-benefits of wise use and sustainable management of wetlands.

1. Setting the context

2. Opening remarks

3. Presentation on ‘Managing climate risks in wetlands - A practitioner’s Guide’ (10 m)

4. Panel Discussion (45 m)

• Wetlands - the bridge between development and climate action
• Wetlands in climate co-benefits 
• Leveraging climate finance for wetland management – The pitch!
• Wetlands as focus in NDCs
• Addressing capacity barriers for enhancing the role of wetlands in climate action

6. Concluding Remarks (5 min)

Panellists

• Dr Sujit Kumar Bajpayee, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
• Dr Alban Kisife, Deputy Head of Division International Cooperation on Biodiversity, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV), Germany
• Dr Max Finlayson, Gulbali Institute, Charles Sturt University
• Dr Ritesh Kumar, Director, Wetlands International South Asia
• Mr Andreas Reumann, Head of the Independent Evaluation Unit, GCF
• Mr Sat Pal Dhiman, Joint Member Secretary, Himachal Pradesh State Wetland Authority
• Mr Suneel Pamidi, Member Secretary, State Wetland Authority Kerala.