Latest news with #WetlandsInternational
The Star
25-07-2025
- General
- The Star
Interview: China leading in wetland preservation, says Wetlands International CEO
VICTORIA FALLS, Zimbabwe, July 25 (Xinhua) -- China is playing a leading role in the global wetland preservation agenda, Wetlands International Chief Executive Officer Coenraad Krijger said Friday. In an interview with Xinhua on the sidelines of the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP15) underway in the resort city of Victoria Falls in the Matabeleland North Province of Zimbabwe, Krijger acknowledged China's efforts in wetland preservation, following the accreditation of nine more Chinese cities as wetland cities at COP15 on Thursday. "Indeed, if you look across the world, China has taken a leadership position in doing the right thing for wetlands," he said. "The biggest number of wetland cities in the world is in China, and leading the COP, having these mangrove centers, and having strong policies already in place, and big restoration actions, so I think China is leading." China is home to a significant portion of the world's important wetlands, which highlights the importance of the country's efforts in investing in wetland preservation. "Through the trade relations that China has, and the investments that China has all over the world, (China) is also connected to (other) very important wetlands worldwide," Krijger said. COP15, which officially opened on Thursday, is running under the theme of "Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future," bringing together representatives of governments to strengthen international commitments for wetland conservation and to highlight the vital role of wetlands in sustaining ecological health, biodiversity, and climate resilience. Krijger said platforms such as the Ramsar Convention must continue to amplify the need to preserve wetlands and enhance mutual learning. The Ramsar Convention, named after the Iranian city of Ramsar where the convention was signed in 1971, is an intergovernmental agreement dedicated to the conservation and rational use of wetland ecosystems. Krijger said that Wetland International, a global not-for-profit organization dedicated to the conservation and restoration of wetlands, has worked with China in supporting wetland preservation efforts for many years. "It is really important that any country steps up and takes their wetlands seriously. Wetlands are easy targets for all kinds of developments, such as real estate and harbors. So strong legislation and strong policies are very much needed to counteract the attractiveness of wetlands," he said. "I think we can learn a lot from the Chinese efforts and bring that to the rest of the world. And also, we could perhaps be facilitating exchange and joint learning across our network," Krijger said. While development is welcome, he said, there is a need to maintain a balance between development and the health of wetlands. "This is a key challenge because, on the one hand, people want to live near or in wetlands because of the water and all the benefits it brings. At the same time, if the development is not done in the right way, that will diminish, at least in the long run, but sometimes even in the short run." Krijger said he is eager to visit Chinese wetland cities in the future to learn how they achieve urban development while reaping the benefits of preserving the wetlands.
Asharq Al-Awsat
12-06-2025
- General
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Ethiopia's Vast Lake Being Pumped Dry
There is a constant hum around Ethiopia's enormous Lake Dembel -- the sound of its water steadily being sucked out by pumps. The pumps irrigate farms all around the lake, which is four times the size of Manhattan, and are vital for hundreds of thousands of people, AFP said. Ethiopia has already lost at least one large lake -- Haramaya, in the east of the country -- to over-pumping. Now it risks losing another. Lake Dembel's depth has halved since 1990 from four meters to two (13 feet to over six), according to Wetlands International, an NGO. "If things continue like this, the lake could disappear," said its project manager Desalegn Regassa. Pumping by farmers and industry is not the lake's only problem. Heavy pesticide use is also killing its fish, locals and the NGO say. Belachew Derib has been fishing the lake since the 1980s but says stocks are disappearing. "I built my house thanks to the income from fishing and support my three children through this work," Belachew, 60, told AFP as he rowed his small boat out to pull up his nets. "Previously, we could catch 20 to 30 fish a day. Nowadays, young fishermen are lucky to catch two or three," he said. Just a few dozen meters (yards) from the shore, AFP found Habib Bobasso, 35, liberally covering his small onion plot with pesticides from a pump strapped to his back. "There are many worms that can damage the plants... we could lose the entire harvest," he said as he sprayed, with just a shawl to cover his face. He knows the pesticides are harmful but sees no alternative. "The fertilizers and pesticides we use degrade the soil. We spend too much money on fertilizers and chemicals for a low yield," he said. Degradation Water management is essential for Ethiopia, a land-locked giant in east Africa with a rapidly growing population already estimated at more than 130 million and often hit by droughts. But a lack of funds and government oversight has allowed bad practices to continue for decades. A recent report by the Stockholm International Water Institute blamed Ethiopia's "lackluster policy frameworks" for "the demise of Lake Haramaya, the shrinking of Lake Abijata (and) the pollution of Awash River and Ziway and Hawassa Lakes." Lately, the government has shown signs it is taking the problem seriously. It passed a law earlier this year imposing a fee to extract water from Lake Dembel, which lies around 120 kilometers (75 miles) south of the capital Addis Ababa. A local official, Andualem Gezahegne, told AFP he hoped this would curtail the pumps. It cannot come too soon -- Wetlands International said there were some 6,000 pumps installed around the lake last year, running 24 hours a day, and "maybe more today". AFP witnessed two huge tanker trucks filling up for a nearby highway project during a recent visit. Keeping fishing under control is another challenge, said Andualem. "Unfortunately, the peak fishing activity coincides with the fish spawning periods, from January to May," he said. On the surface, the lake is still full of life -- from hippos to marabou storks. But as the fishermen head out at dawn, the steady hum of the pumps strikes an ominous note for the future.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Ethiopia's vast lake being pumped dry
There is a constant hum around Ethiopia's enormous Lake Dembel -- the sound of its water steadily being sucked out by pumps. The pumps irrigate farms all around the lake, which is four times the size of Manhattan, and are vital for hundreds of thousands of people. Ethiopia has already lost at least one large lake -- Haramaya, in the east of the country -- to over-pumping. Now it risks losing another. Lake Dembel's depth has halved since 1990 from four metres to two (13 feet to over six), according to Wetlands International, an NGO. "If things continue like this, the lake could disappear," said its project manager Desalegn Regassa. Pumping by farmers and industry is not the lake's only problem. Heavy pesticide use is also killing its fish, locals and the NGO say. Belachew Derib has been fishing the lake since the 1980s but says stocks are disappearing. "I built my house thanks to the income from fishing and support my three children through this work," Belachew, 60, told AFP as he rowed his small boat out to pull up his nets. "Previously, we could catch 20 to 30 fish a day. Nowadays, young fishermen are lucky to catch two or three," he said. Just a few dozen metres (yards) from the shore, AFP found Habib Bobasso, 35, liberally covering his small onion plot with pesticides from a pump strapped to his back. "There are many worms that can damage the plants... we could lose the entire harvest," he said as he sprayed, with just a shawl to cover his face. He knows the pesticides are harmful but sees no alternative. "The fertilisers and pesticides we use degrade the soil. We spend too much money on fertilisers and chemicals for a low yield," he said. - Degradation - Water management is essential for Ethiopia, a land-locked giant in east Africa with a rapidly growing population already estimated at more than 130 million and often hit by droughts. But a lack of funds and government oversight has allowed bad practices to continue for decades. A recent report by the Stockholm International Water Institute blamed Ethiopia's "lacklustre policy frameworks" for "the demise of Lake Haramaya, the shrinking of Lake Abijata (and) the pollution of Awash River and Ziway and Hawassa Lakes." Lately, the government has shown signs it is taking the problem seriously. It passed a law earlier this year imposing a fee to extract water from Lake Dembel, which lies around 120 kilometres (75 miles) south of the capital Addis Ababa. A local official, Andualem Gezahegne, told AFP he hoped this would curtail the pumps. It cannot come too soon -- Wetlands International said there were some 6,000 pumps installed around the lake last year, running 24 hours a day, and "maybe more today". AFP witnessed two huge tanker trucks filling up for a nearby highway project during a recent visit. Keeping fishing under control is another challenge, said Andualem. "Unfortunately, the peak fishing activity coincides with the fish spawning periods, from January to May," he said. On the surface, the lake is still full of life -- from hippos to marabou storks. But as the fishermen head out at dawn, the steady hum of the pumps strikes an ominous note for the future. dyg/er/kjm
