Wetland City Accreditation

Recently, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change 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.

WCA – A voluntary scheme that recognizes cities which have taken exceptional steps to safeguard their urban wetlands.

Establishment – During the Ramsar Convention COP12, 2015.

Objectives – To recognize the importance of wetlands in urban and peri-urban environments and to take appropriate measures to conserve and protect these wetlands.

Significance – Cities can gain international recognition and positive branding opportunities for their efforts and provides sustainable socio-economic benefits for local populations.

It will generate public awareness about wetland conservation and also help in implementation of Amrit Dharohar in India which aims to foster sustainable ecosystem development with the help of local communities.

About Wetland City Accreditation:

The Ramsar Convention during COP12 held in the year 2015 approved a voluntary Wetland City Accreditation system.
It recognizes cities which have taken exceptional steps to safeguard their urban wetlands.
It also recognizes the importance of wetlands in urban and peri-urban environments and to take appropriate measures to conserve and protect these wetlands.
This voluntary scheme provides an opportunity for cities that value their natural or human-made wetlands to gain international recognition and positive publicity for their efforts.
This scheme 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.
To be formally accredited, a candidate for WCA should satisfy the standards used to implement each of the six international criteria mentioned in Operational Guidance for WCA of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
Since Ramsar COP13, 43 cities from 17 countries have been officially recognized as “Wetland Cities”.

	Indore	Bhopal	Udaipur
Location	Madhya Pradesh	Bihar	Rajasthan
Ramsar Site (or) Wetland	Sirpur Lake, a bird sanctuary	Bhoj Wetland with Jal Tarang (wetland interpretation centre)	5 wetlands –Pichola Fateh Sagar Rang Sagar Swaroop Sagar Doodh Talai
Efforts & Recognitions	-Wetland mitras for Sarus Crane. -Cleanest city in India. -India’s Smart City Award 2023.	-Wetland mitras for Sarus Crane. -Lake Conservation Cell -Draft City Development Plan 2031

6 Criteria for getting WEA

It has one or more Ramsar Sites, or other significant wetlands which provide(s) a range of ecosystem services to the city;
It has adopted measures for conservation of wetlands.
It has implemented wetland restoration measures.
It considers the challenges and opportunities of integrated spatial/land-use planning for wetlands under its jurisdiction.
It has raised public awareness about the values of wetlands and enabled public participation in decision-making processes.
It has established a local committee to support the preparation work and the implementation of measures.

Source: pib

Join Our Telegram

Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956

Plasma waves

Formation Day

03 Dec, 25
SHARE

On 1st November, eight Indian states—Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Tamil Nadu—along with five Union Territories—Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Delhi, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry—celebrate their Formation Day. This date marks an important milestone in India

Turtle (Kachhua) Wildlife Sanctuary

02 Dec, 25
SHARE

The Turtle Wildlife Sanctuary, also known as the Kachhua Sanctuary, is located in the Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh. It is recognised as India’s first freshwater turtle wildlife sanctuary, established to conserve endangered turtle species and support the ecological health of the Ganga River. Location and Extent The sanctuary co

Introduction of AI and Computational Thinking (CT) in

02 Dec, 25
SHARE

The Ministry of Education plans to introduce Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Computational Thinking (CT) from Class 3 onwards in the 2026–27 academic year. This initiative is part of the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023 and aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The aim is to prepare student

Sal Tree

02 Dec, 25
SHARE

Scientists from the Environment Department of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) in Shimla have recently revealed that the Sal tree (Shorea robusta) is the most effective natural air purifier for combating rising pollution levels. Their findings highlight the tree’s superior capacity to trap dust, absorb gases, and cleanse the air compared

US Resumes Nuclear Weapon Testing

02 Dec, 25
SHARE

The President of the United States has ordered the resumption of nuclear weapon testing after a gap of 33 years, the last test being in 1992. This decision marks a significant shift in global nuclear policy and has far-reaching implications for geopolitics, the environment, and international security. Status of Global Nuclear Weapon Testing