What do wetlands do for to you?
February 2 marks the anniversary of the signing of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (1971). This year’s theme is Wetlands, Biodiversity and Climate Change, with the slogan “Caring for wetlands: an answer to climate change."
"The role of wetlands in mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change must be central in all future debates about the way forward."
Mr Anada Tiéga
Secretary General, Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
World Wetlands Day 2010: Message from the Secretary General:
http://www.ramsar.org/cda/ramsar/display/main/main.jsp?zn=ramsar&cp=1-63-78^24351_4000_0__
“Wetlands play a key role in combating the emission of greenhouse gases - the primary driver of climate change. Although wetlands cover only six per cent of the Earth’s land surface they store about 35% of global terrestrial carbon.”
Ahmed Djoghlaf
Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity
Message on the occasion of World Wetlands Day:
http://www.ramsar.org/pdf/wwd/10/wwd2010_rpts_cbd.pdf
(Blue) saltwater tidal marsh wetlands may be the way to go - "Unlike many freshwater wetlands, saltwater tidal marshes release only negligible amounts of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas; therefore, the carbon storage benefits of tidal salt marshes are not reduced by methane production. In addition, as sea levels rise, tidal marsh plains continue to build up to match the rise in water level, if suspended sediments are adequate, continually pulling carbon dioxide out of the air in the process."
Dr. Lynne Trulio, White Paper on Carbon Sequestration and Tidal Salt Marsh Restoration, Dec. 20, 2007
Also:
Ramsar Convention on Wetlands:
http://www.ramsar.org/
Focus on caring for wetlands as an answer to climate change (Philippine Information Agency):
http://www.pia.gov.ph/default.asp?m=12&fi=p100202.htm&no=14
