Speaking to the 10th meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, Ban Ki-Moon, the UN Secretary General introduced proceedings highlighting the important role wetlands have in the fight against climate change.

The Secretary General recognised how wetlands contribute to livelihoods and human well-being. Wetlands also provide ecosystem services, and are an important sink for carbon, hence play a key role in the fight against climate change.

The conservation of wetlands will play an important role in reaching the Millennium Development Goals too, he said.

Ban Ki-Moon spoke of the unsustainable way we are currently using water, and how this use is set to increase in the near future:

“Our unsustainable use of water coupled with growing demand is making it worse… …that is why the Ramsar Convention has never been more important. It enjoys global consensus. It provides technical know-how. It gives rise to guidance and support networks.”