Netherlands, April 9, 2026 – In a significant stride towards combating the escalating global crisis of wetland degradation, Wetlands International today unveiled the Wetland Atlas, a comprehensive, open-access online platform designed to galvanize action and funding for vital wetland conservation efforts. The launch addresses a critical data deficit, often termed the "data fog," which has historically hampered effective investment and strategic intervention for these crucial ecosystems. This innovative tool aims to provide governments, businesses, and investors with the clear, up-to-date, and accessible information needed to accelerate the protection and restoration of wetlands worldwide.
The urgency of this initiative cannot be overstated. Wetlands, encompassing freshwater and coastal ecosystems, are foundational to addressing many of the 21st century’s most pressing challenges. They are indispensable for ensuring water and food security, mitigating the impacts of climate change, halting biodiversity loss, and driving sustainable development. However, the stark reality is that since 1970, an estimated 22% of the world’s freshwater and coastal wetlands have vanished, with a further quarter of the remaining wetlands suffering from degradation. While ambitious global targets and proven solutions for wetland conservation exist, the necessary action and financial investment have consistently lagged behind the scale of the problem.
The Wetland Atlas is a direct response to this critical gap, aiming to dismantle the barriers presented by fragmented, inconsistent, and incomplete data. By consolidating biophysical, socio-economic, and policy-relevant information into a single, user-friendly platform, it empowers decision-makers to identify and prioritize conservation actions where they will yield the most significant positive impact.
Bridging the Data Divide for Accelerated Action
Coenraad Krijger, CEO of Wetlands International, emphasized the transformative potential of the new platform. "The Wetland Atlas will open up a whole new world of wetlands, accurately mapping different freshwater and coastal wetlands and their diverse values, and guiding public and private funders to invest in conservation projects that will yield the greatest returns for people, nature and climate," Krijger stated. He further elaborated that while the Atlas is not a panacea, it is poised to fundamentally alter how stakeholders perceive and invest in wetlands. "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," he added.
The current landscape of wetland data is characterized by its fragmentation and inaccessibility, often residing in disparate databases and research papers that are difficult to synthesize. This lack of a centralized, easily digestible resource has been a significant impediment to informed decision-making and strategic investment. The Wetland Atlas directly confronts this challenge by aggregating available information, creating a cohesive and actionable resource.
Francesca Antonelli, Freshwater Lead at Wetlands International, highlighted the platform’s role in streamlining the decision-making process. "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," Antonelli 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."
A Strategic Focus on Vulnerable Regions
While the Wetland Atlas is designed for global application, its initial phase prioritizes regions of immense ecological and socio-economic vulnerability. Currently, the platform focuses on the Sahel and the Horn of Africa – areas increasingly susceptible to the impacts of climate change and resource scarcity. Investing in the health of rivers, lakes, and other wetlands in these regions is paramount not only for bolstering water and food security but also for fostering peace and stability.
The inclusion of these regions is a strategic choice, recognizing the interconnectedness of environmental health, human well-being, and geopolitical stability. In areas prone to drought, desertification, and conflict, healthy wetlands can act as critical buffers, providing essential water resources, supporting agricultural livelihoods, and reducing competition for scarce natural assets.
Karounga Keita, Regional Director for the Sahel at Wetlands International, expressed his long-held anticipation for such a tool. "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 commented. He underscored the vital role of wetlands in conflict prevention and disaster risk reduction in the Sahel. "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."
Building on a Legacy of Innovation and Collaboration
The development of the Wetland Atlas is rooted in Wetlands International’s extensive experience and success in pioneering research, impactful policy advocacy, citizen science initiatives, and the creation of innovative mapping tools. This includes well-established resources such as the Global Mangrove Watch, the Critical Sites Network Tool, the Waterbird Populations Portal, and the International Waterbird Census. These existing tools have already contributed significantly to global understanding and conservation efforts, providing a strong foundation for the Wetland Atlas.
Furthermore, the Wetland Atlas represents a significant complementary effort in support of the GEO-Wetlands partnership. This partnership leverages Earth Observation data to provide stakeholders and users with advanced mapping, monitoring, inventory, and assessment of wetlands, operating under the auspices of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. The open-access principles guiding the Wetland Atlas align with the collaborative spirit of such international initiatives, fostering broader participation and knowledge sharing.
The data powering the Wetland Atlas is drawn from a diverse range of sources, including published research, global and national databases, contributions from partner organizations, newly generated data, and user input. This multi-faceted approach ensures the comprehensiveness and accuracy of the information presented. The platform is designed to be a dynamic resource, continuously evolving and improving as new data becomes available.
A Decision-Support Framework for Action
The Wetland Atlas is specifically engineered as a decision-support platform, designed to assist users in a variety of critical functions. These include:
- Mapping and Inventory: Providing detailed, georeferenced maps of various wetland types, enabling users to visualize and understand the distribution and extent of these ecosystems.
- Status and Trends Assessment: Offering insights into the current condition of wetlands and historical trends, allowing for the identification of areas experiencing significant degradation or recovery.
- Valuation of Ecosystem Services: Quantifying and illustrating the diverse benefits wetlands provide to people and nature, such as water purification, flood control, carbon sequestration, and habitat provision for biodiversity. This helps in demonstrating the economic and social returns on investment in wetland conservation.
- Identification of Conservation Priorities: Facilitating the identification of critical wetland areas for protection, restoration, or sustainable management based on ecological significance, threats, and potential for impact.
- Investment Planning and Tracking: Providing data and analysis to support informed investment decisions, enabling funders to direct resources to projects with the highest potential for positive outcomes and to track the impact of their investments over time.
- Policy and Planning Support: Offering evidence-based information to inform land-use planning, water resource management, and the development of effective conservation policies at local, national, and international levels.
The technical development of the Wetland Atlas was supported by Aberystwyth University, with expert tool design provided by Vizzuality. The initiative received generous support from donors advised by Effektiv-Spenden.
A Call to Collective Action for a Wetland Future
Francesca Antonelli reiterated that the launch of the Wetland Atlas marks a crucial beginning, not an endpoint. "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," she stated. "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."
This invitation signifies a commitment to collaborative stewardship, recognizing that the scale of the wetland crisis requires a unified global response. By fostering partnerships and encouraging broad participation, Wetlands International aims to amplify the impact of the Wetland Atlas and accelerate the global transition towards effective and sustainable wetland conservation. The future of these vital ecosystems, and indeed the health of the planet, depends on such collective action.