World Wetlands Day 2026

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Bhupender Yadav highlighted that wetlands nurture not only ecosystems, but also communities, culture and livelihoods, underlining their multifaceted importance for sustainable development.

To mark World Wetlands Day 2026, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change organised a special event at the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary on the theme “Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage.” The event emphasised the critical role of wetlands in ecological balance and the contribution of traditional knowledge systems and local communities in their conservation and sustainable management.

World Wetlands Day

• Observed annually on 2 February
• Commemorates the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar Convention) on 2 February 1971 in Ramsar, Iran

India and the Ramsar Convention

• India became a signatory on 1 February 1982
• India now leads Asia in the number of Ramsar sites
• The country has 98 wetlands of international importance, reflecting its growing commitment to wetland conservation