Context: MoEF&CC has submitted three nominations from India for Wetland City Accreditation (WCA) of Indore (Madhya Pradesh), Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) & Udaipur (Rajasthan) under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
Wetland City Accreditation under Ramsar Convention
- It is a voluntary accreditation system established under Ramsar Convention during Conference of Parties -12 (COP-12) held in 2015.
- It recognizes cities which have taken exceptional steps to safeguard their urban wetlands.
- It aims to further promote the conservation and wise use of urban and peri-urban wetlands, as well as sustainable socio-economic benefits for local populations.
- It seeks to encourage cities that are close to and dependent on wetlands, primarily Wetlands of International Importance, but also wetlands with other conservation category status, to develop and strengthen a positive relationship with these valuable ecosystems.
- This voluntary scheme provides 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.
- To be formally accredited, a candidate for the Wetland City Accreditation should satisfy the standards used to implement each of the six international criteria mentioned Operational Guidance for WCA of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
- Criteria for a city or a human settlement to be accredited as Wetland City Accrediation:
- Criterion 1: It has one or more Ramsar Sites, or other wetland conservation sites fully or partly situated within its jurisdiction, which provide(s) a range of ecosystem services to the city;
- Criterion 2: It has adopted measures for conservation of wetlands and their ecosystem services;
- Criterion 3: It has implemented wetland restoration and/or management measures;
- Criterion 4: It considers the challenges and opportunities of integrated spatial/land-use planning for wetlands under its jurisdiction;
- Criterion 5: It has raised public awareness about the values of wetlands by delivering locally adapted information, and enabled participation of local stakeholders in decision making processes;
- Criterion 6: It has established a local committee with appropriate knowledge and experience on wetlands and representation of and engagement with stakeholders to support the preparation work to apply for the Wetland City Accreditation of the Ramsar Convention and the implementation of proper measures to maintain the city’s qualifications for the accreditation.
Cities accredited as Wetland Cities Accreditation under Ramsar Conventions
Nominated Sites by India
- These are the first three Indian cities for which nominations have been submitted for Wetland City Accreditation (WCA). These three cities have been selected by MoEFCC based on proposals submitted by State Wetlands Authorities in collaboration with Municipal Corporations.
- Indore: Founded by Holkars, Indore is the cleanest city in India and the recipient of India’s Smart City Award 2023 for its best sanitation, water, and urban environment.
- Sirpur Lake, a Ramsar Site in the city, has been recognised as an important site for water bird congregation and is being developed as a Bird Sanctuary.
- Yashwant Sagar is a Ramsar site located close to Indore.
- A strong network of more than 200 wetland mitras is engaged in bird conservation and sensitising local community to protect Sarus Crane.
- Bhopal:Bhoj Wetland, Ramsar Site is the city’s lifeline, equipped with the world-class wetland’s interpretation centre, Jal Tarang.
- Additionally, the Bhopal Municipal Corporation has a dedicated Lake Conservation Cell.
- A network of more than 300 wetland mitras is engaged in wetland management and conservation of Sarus Crane.
- Udaipur: Located in Rajasthan, the city is surrounded by five major wetlands, namely, Pichola, Fateh Sagar, Rang Sagar, Swaroop Sagar, and Doodh Talai.
- These wetlands are an integral part of the city’s culture and identity, help maintain the city’s microclimate, and provide a buffer from extreme events.
