Celebrated every year on the 2nd of February, World Wetlands Day marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on the same day in 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the shores of the Caspian Sea. Wetlands are vital for humans, for other ecosystems and for our climate, providing essential ecosystem services such as water regulation, including flood control and water purification. The worrying thing is that they are disappearing three times faster than forests due to human activities and global heating. For a quick 101 on why wetlands are so important, we revisit past interviews with Associate Professor Catherine Yule, an aquatic biologist, and also with Dr. Ahmad Aldrie Amir, the coordinator of the Malaysian Mangrove Research Alliance and Network (MyMangrove).

Produced by: Juliet Jacobs

Presented by: Lee Chwi Lynn & Juliet Jacobs

Download the BFM mobile app. Stay at home and stay up-to-date.

Tags:  The Bigger Picture,  Earth Matters,  World Wetlands Day,  Wetlands,  Mangroves,  Ecosystems,  Climate change,  Water,  Biodiversity,  Coastal and Marine Ecosystems,  Pollution,  Sustainable Development,  Wildlife Conservation,  Education,  Energy, Environment,  Government/Regulatory/Policy Making,  Environment/Sustainability