Global List of Wetland Accredited Cities

• 03 Feb 2025

Why in News? 

• Indore and Udaipur have become the first two Indian cities to be accredited as wetland cities under the Ramsar Convention.

Key Points 

• International Recognition for Wetland Conservation: 
  • The Wetland City Accreditation recognizes cities that prioritize the conservation of their natural and human-made wetlands. 
  • The Advisory Committee on Wetland City Accreditation accredited 31 new cities, including Indore and Udaipur, bringing the global total to 74 accredited cities. 
• Bhopal Misses Out on Accreditation: 
  • Bhopal, which was nominated alongside Indore and Udaipur, did not receive accreditation due to concerns about the ecological impact on Bhoj wetland. 
  • Citizen groups raised concerns about a proposed road project cutting through the wetland’s catchment area, potentially threatening local water bodies and wildlife. 
• Criteria for Wetland City Accreditation: 
  • Cities must satisfy six international criteria, including: 
    • Conserving wetlands and their ecosystem services. 
    • Ensuring sustainable socio-economic benefits for local populations. 
• Global Status of Wetland City Accreditation: 
  • China leads the global list with 22 accredited cities, followed by France with 9 cities. 
  • The accreditation program promotes the sustainable use of urban and peri-urban wetlands. 

Wetland City Accreditation (WCA) 

• The WCA is a voluntary accreditation system established by the Ramsar Convention during the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP) 12, 2015 to recognize cities that have taken exceptional steps to safeguard their urban wetlands. 
  • The WCA is valid for 6 years. 
• The scheme aims to promote the conservation and wise use of urban and peri-urban wetlands, as well as sustainable socio-economic benefits for local populations.