Wetlands, among the most valuable yet overlooked ecosystems, are disappearing at an alarming rate, posing severe threats to the environment and global economies, a new report has warned.

The Global Wetland Outlook 2025: Valuing, Conserving, Restoring and Financing Wetlands reveals that without swift global action, the planet could lose up to 20 per cent of its remaining wetlands by 2050—a loss that could wipe out as much as $39 trillion in ecological and economic benefits.

The report, released on Tuesday, is the most comprehensive assessment of wetlands yet, building on the findings from the 2018 and 2021 editions.

It comes just days before the 15th Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Wetlands, which will be held from July 23 to 31 in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

“Wetlands bankroll the planet, yet we’re still investing more in their destruction than recovery,” said Dr Musonda Mumba, secretary general of the Convention on Wetlands. “Restoring them could unlock $10 trillion in benefits—but time is running out.”

Despite covering just six per cent of the earth’s surface, wetlands contribute over 7.5 per cent of global GDP through critical services such as clean water, flood control, food production, and carbon storage.

These ecosystems are also central to livelihoods in agriculture, aquaculture, and tourism, particularly in regions such as Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, which are now seeing the sharpest declines in wetland health.

The report notes that 0.52 per cent of wetlands vanish annually, eroding nature’s ability to counter the climate crisis and halt biodiversity loss. Since 1970, the world has lost 22 per cent of its wetlands—an area equivalent to more than half a billion football fields.

A quarter of the wetlands that remain are in poor condition.

“Wetlands are not a side issue—they’re fundamental to the global water cycle and essential to billions of lives,” said Dr Hugh Robertson, chairperson of the Scientific and Technical Review Panel. “We know what works. What’s needed now is bold, sustained investment.”

The report presents a global roadmap to reverse wetland loss through evidence-backed strategies, combining economic insights and successful case studies from different regions. It stresses that restoring and protecting wetlands is not only feasible but also cost-effective.

Kenya, home to wetlands that span three to six per cent of its land, depending on the season, stands to benefit greatly from conservation.

These include Rift Valley lakes and coastal mangroves, which are not only biodiversity havens but also crucial to the country’s economy, fueling tourism, agriculture, fisheries, and providing clean water.

Many are recognised as Ramsar sites, national parks, World Heritage sites and vital bird habitats.

As the world prepares for COP15, the report calls for urgent financial and policy commitments to protect wetlands and the benefits they bring. Without such action, the economic and ecological costs may prove irreversible.