World Wetlands Day 2026

Every February 2, the world celebrates International Wetlands Day. This year, the Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) convened a webinar under the theme “African Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Protecting Heritage for Resilience.” The event brought together hundreds of partners from across the continent and underscored the critical importance of wetlands to Africa’s resilience, the alarming rate of their degradation, and the urgent need to integrate Indigenous knowledge, rights-based governance, and sustainable financing into their protection.

The webinar aimed to elevate African wetlands, alongside Indigenous and traditional knowledge systems, as foundational pillars of holistic resilience, while catalysing stronger policy recognition, coordinated action, and sustained investment in wetland protection and restoration across the continent.

African wetlands are critical natural infrastructures that support food systems, ensure water security, facilitate trade, sustain human settlements, and preserve cultural identities. They also play a vital role in flood absorption, water storage during droughts, and the provision of essential habitats for biodiversity.

However, the alarming decline of African wetlands demands urgent attention. In recent decades, Africa has lost more than half of certain wetland types, while many of the remaining wetlands are severely degraded. Lake Chad, for instance, has lost approximately 90% of its surface area, leading to profound losses in livelihoods, regional stability, and ecological balance. Read More here: WORLD WETLANDS DAY 2026