Netherlands, April 9, 2026 – In a critical move to address the accelerating global decline of vital wetland ecosystems, Wetlands International today unveiled the Wetland Atlas, a comprehensive, global online platform designed to dismantle the "data fog" hindering essential conservation efforts. This groundbreaking initiative aims to unlock significant new action and funding from governments, businesses, and investors, thereby accelerating the protection and restoration of these indispensable natural assets.
The launch comes at a time of unprecedented urgency. Wetlands, which encompass freshwater and coastal ecosystems, are fundamental to addressing the world’s most pressing challenges: ensuring water and food security, mitigating climate change, halting biodiversity loss, and achieving sustainable development. However, the statistics are stark and alarming. Since 1970, an estimated 22% of the world’s freshwater and coastal wetlands have been lost, with a staggering quarter of the remaining wetlands now in a degraded state. Despite the existence of ambitious global targets and viable solutions, the necessary action and financial investment for wetland conservation and restoration continue to fall far short of what is critically needed.
A primary impediment to this vital work, as identified by Wetlands International, has been the persistent lack of clear, up-to-date, insightful, and easily accessible data and analyses. The Wetland Atlas has been specifically developed to bridge this critical gap, offering a centralized and powerful resource for understanding and acting upon wetland status and value.
A New Era of Wetland Data Accessibility
"The Wetland Atlas will open up a whole new world of wetlands," stated Coenraad Krijger, CEO of Wetlands International. "It accurately maps different freshwater and coastal wetlands and their diverse values, guiding public and private funders to invest in conservation projects that will yield the greatest returns for people, nature, and climate. This unique tool is not a silver bullet, but it will help to transform how governments, businesses, and financial institutions value wetlands and invest in their protection and restoration."
The current landscape of wetland data is characterized by fragmentation, silos, inconsistency, and incompleteness. This makes it exceptionally challenging for stakeholders to gain a holistic understanding of wetland distribution, condition, and the multitude of benefits they provide. The Wetland Atlas aims to overcome these limitations by consolidating available information into a single, accessible, and user-friendly platform. By integrating biophysical, socio-economic, and policy-relevant data, the platform empowers governments, donors, and investors to identify and prioritize actions where they can achieve the most significant positive impact.
Francesca Antonelli, Freshwater Lead at Wetlands International, elaborated on the platform’s user-centric design. "Different decision-makers will come to the platform with different questions, but the goal is always the same: help them make faster, better-informed decisions and so accelerate wetland action," she explained. "Instead of searching in confusion and frustration across multiple disconnected sources, public and private decision-makers will be able to explore one integrated platform. Instead of raw datasets, they will see structured insights that genuinely guide their decisions and investments. Instead of uncertainty, they will gain clarity on where to act, and why."
Initial Focus on Vulnerable Regions
While plans are in place for future expansion to include additional regions, the initial phase of the Wetland Atlas focuses on the Sahel and the Horn of Africa. These regions are increasingly vulnerable to environmental degradation and climate change impacts, making investments in healthy rivers, lakes, and other wetlands crucial for enhancing water and food security, as well as for ensuring peace and stability.
The significance of this regional focus was highlighted by Karounga Keita, Regional Director for the Sahel at Wetlands International. "I have been waiting for a tool like this for years – the first detailed, up-to-date map of the wetlands across this vast and diverse region," Keita remarked. "Healthy wetlands are the key to reducing conflict and disaster risk in the Sahel. Now we can show where action and investments will reap the greatest benefits for vulnerable communities – and help to build resilience and stability."
A Foundation of Collaboration and Innovation
The development of the Wetland Atlas builds upon Wetlands International’s extensive track record of collaborative work. This includes pioneering research, influential policy advocacy, citizen science initiatives, and the creation of innovative mapping tools such as the Global Mangrove Watch, the Critical Sites Network Tool, the Waterbird Populations Portal, and the International Waterbird Census.
Furthermore, the Wetland Atlas represents a significant complementary step in support of the GEO-Wetlands partnership. This partnership is dedicated to providing stakeholders and users with Earth Observation-based mapping, monitoring, inventory, and assessment of wetlands under the auspices of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. A cornerstone of the Wetland Atlas is its adherence to open-access principles, ensuring that its valuable data and insights are widely available. The data is drawn from a combination of published research, global and national databases, partner contributions, new data collection, and user input, ensuring a dynamic and evolving resource.
Empowering Decision-Makers: Key Features
The Wetland Atlas is meticulously designed as a decision-support platform, equipping users with the tools and information necessary to make informed choices. Its key functionalities include:
- Comprehensive Wetland Mapping: Providing detailed and accurate spatial data on the distribution and types of wetlands globally, with an initial focus on key vulnerable regions.
- Value Assessment: Quantifying and illustrating the diverse ecological, economic, and social values of wetlands, including their roles in water purification, flood control, carbon sequestration, biodiversity support, and livelihoods.
- Threat Identification: Highlighting areas facing significant threats, such as pollution, habitat destruction, unsustainable water extraction, and the impacts of climate change.
- Restoration Opportunity Identification: Pinpointing areas with high potential for successful wetland restoration, considering ecological feasibility and socio-economic benefits.
- Investment Prioritization: Guiding investors and policymakers toward areas where targeted interventions can yield the greatest return on investment for conservation and sustainable development.
- Monitoring and Trend Analysis: Enabling users to track changes in wetland extent and condition over time, facilitating adaptive management strategies.
Technical Expertise and Generous Support
The creation of the Wetland Atlas was made possible through the technical expertise of Aberystwyth University, with the platform’s innovative design developed by Vizzuality. The project also benefited from the generous support of donors advised by Effektiv-Spenden.
Reflecting on the significance of the launch, Francesca Antonelli added, "Today’s launch is a milestone on the path to a better, collective understanding that will help transform global efforts to safeguard the world’s remaining wetlands, but it is just the start. No single organization can drive this alone – that is why we have been working with partners since the start and why we invite all potential partners and donors to join us to collectively invest in the next phases of the Wetland Atlas."
Broader Implications for Global Conservation and Development
The launch of the Wetland Atlas arrives at a pivotal moment for global environmental governance. As nations strive to meet the targets set by the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Sustainable Development Goals, understanding and investing in nature-based solutions, such as wetland restoration, is becoming increasingly critical.
The fragmented and often inaccessible nature of wetland data has historically led to missed opportunities for effective conservation. For instance, a lack of clear data on the flood-mitigation capacity of a specific wetland might deter investment in its protection, leading to costly disaster relief efforts in the future. Similarly, without readily available information on the carbon sequestration potential of peatlands, crucial climate finance may be diverted elsewhere. The Wetland Atlas directly addresses these shortcomings by providing a robust, evidence-based foundation for decision-making.
A Call to Action for Collective Investment
Wetlands International is not only launching this powerful tool but also issuing a direct call to action for continued collaboration and investment. The organization recognizes that the long-term success of the Wetland Atlas and the broader goals of wetland conservation depend on the collective efforts of a wide range of stakeholders. By inviting potential partners and donors to engage in the next phases of development, Wetlands International aims to ensure the platform’s continued evolution, expansion to new regions, and integration into global conservation strategies. This inclusive approach underscores the understanding that safeguarding wetlands is a shared responsibility that requires a united front.
The implications of this initiative extend far beyond the immediate conservation of specific wetland sites. By democratizing access to critical data and providing actionable insights, the Wetland Atlas has the potential to fundamentally alter the way wetlands are perceived and valued by policymakers, businesses, and the public. This shift in perspective is essential for mobilizing the widespread support and sustained funding needed to reverse the alarming trend of wetland loss and ensure that these invaluable ecosystems can continue to provide their essential services for generations to come.
