Global observance of World Wetlands Day 2025 today

Kathmandu, World Wetlands Day 2025 is being observed today under the theme “Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future.” The annual observance aims to raise awareness about the urgent need to conserve and restore wetlands, which are rapidly declining due to human activities and climate change.

The United Nations officially designated February 2 as World Wetlands Day in 2021 to commemorate the adoption of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in 1971. The convention provides a global framework for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands, encouraging nations to declare protected areas, implement policies, and share conservation knowledge.

So far, 172 countries have confirmed the Ramsar Convention, each required to list at least one wetland of international importance, known as a Ramsar site. Nepal currently has ten Ramsar sites, including Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, Rara Lake, Phoksundo Lake, and Gokyo Lake, among others. Wetlands cover approximately 819,277 hectares (5% of Nepal’s total land area).