Statement by Martha Rojas Urrego, Secretary General of the Convention on Wetlands on World Wetlands Day 2 February 2021
21 January 2021Wetlands and Water is the theme to mark Word Wetlands Day in 2021.
The importance of global wetlands to sustainable development
Learn moreThe Convention on Wetlands is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
Number of Contracting Parties: 171
Number of Wetlands of International Importance: 2,414
Total surface of designated sites: 254,540,512 ha
The Site consists of the glacier foreland, between 2,000 and 2,800 metres above sea level, of the two glaciers Vadret da Roseg and Vadret da Tschierva, and the alpine alluvial zone formed where they have retreated. It includes a lake and meanders of the Ova da Roseg, a stream originating from the spurs of ice of the two glaciers. It is home to a rich and diverse wetland flora and fauna, with six plant and 14 animal species listed on the red lists of endangered species in Switzerland. The natural dynamism of the stream and the constant evolution of its network of meanders create the conditions for a rich plant biodiversity with a highly diverse mosaic of succession stages of plant communities typical of alpine alluvial zones. Notable animals present include the nationally threatened bearded vulture Gypaetus barbatus and common sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos. The Site is susceptible to the impacts of climate change: glacier variations are the best indicator of climate fluctuations and both glaciers, which are monitored by the Swiss Glacier Monitoring Network, are retreating year by year, and so influencing a range of ecological factors.