WETLANDS AND RAMSAR SITES IN INDIA - ENVIRONMENT

News: India Nominates Three Cities for Global Wetland Accreditation

 

What's in the news?

       India has submitted nominations of three cities - Indore, Bhopal and Udaipur - for Wetland City Accreditation (WCA) under the Ramsar Convention, an intergovernmental treaty that provides a framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.

 

Key takeaways:

       These are the first three Indian cities for which nominations have been submitted for WCA.

       Globally, 43 cities including 13 from China and six from France are currently accredited under the WCA scheme of the international convention.

 

Wetland City Accreditation (WCA):

Conditions for Accreditation:

       Accreditation is granted to only those cities which satisfy the six international criteria including proximity of one or more Ramsar sites fully or partly situated within its jurisdiction and taking different exceptional conservation measures to safeguard their urban wetlands.

 

Aim:

       To promote conservation and wise use of urban and peri-urban wetlands as well as sustainable socio-economic benefits for local populations.

 

Significance:

       It will provide an opportunity for cities that value their natural or human-made wetlands to gain international recognition and positive branding opportunities for their efforts in demonstrating strong positive relationships with wetlands.