Interview: China leading in wetland preservation, says Wetlands International CEO

China is playing a leading role in the global wetland preservation agenda, Wetlands International CEO Coenraad Krijger has said.

VICTORIA FALLS, Zimbabwe, July 26 (Xinhua) -- China is playing a leading role in the global wetland preservation agenda, Wetlands International Chief Executive Officer Coenraad Krijger said on Friday.

In an interview with Xinhua on the sidelines of the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP15) underway in Zimbabwe's resort city of Victoria Falls, Krijger acknowledged China's efforts in wetland preservation, following the accreditation of nine more Chinese cities as international wetland cities on Thursday.

"Indeed, if you look across the world, China has taken a leadership position in doing the right thing for wetlands," he said. "The biggest number of wetland cities in the world is in China, and leading the COP, having these mangrove centers, and having strong policies already in place, and big restoration actions, so I think China is leading."

China is home to a significant portion of the world's important wetlands, which highlights the importance of the country's efforts in investing in wetland preservation. "Through the trade relations that China has, and the investments that China has all over the world, (China) is also connected to (other) very important wetlands worldwide," Krijger said.

The COP15, which officially opened on Thursday, is running under the theme of "Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future," bringing together representatives of governments to strengthen international commitments for wetland conservation and to highlight the vital role of wetlands in sustaining ecological health, biodiversity, and climate resilience.

Krijger said platforms such as the Ramsar Convention must continue to amplify the need to preserve wetlands and enhance mutual learning.

The Ramsar Convention, named after the Iranian city of Ramsar where the convention was signed in 1971, is an intergovernmental agreement dedicated to the conservation and rational use of wetland ecosystems.

Krijger said Wetland International, a global not-for-profit organization dedicated to the conservation and restoration of wetlands, has worked with China in supporting wetland preservation efforts for many years.

"It is really important that any country steps up and takes their wetlands seriously. Wetlands are easy targets for all kinds of developments, such as real estate and harbors. So strong legislation and strong policies are very much needed to counteract the attractiveness of wetlands," he said.

"I think we can learn a lot from the Chinese efforts and bring that to the rest of the world. And also, we could perhaps be facilitating exchange and joint learning across our network," Krijger said.

While development is welcome, he said, there is a need to maintain a balance between development and the health of wetlands. "This is a key challenge because, on the one hand, people want to live near or in wetlands because of the water and all the benefits it brings. At the same time, if the development is not done in the right way, that will diminish, at least in the long run, but sometimes even in the short run."

Krijger said he is eager to visit Chinese wetland cities in the future to learn how they achieve urban development while reaping the benefits of preserving the wetlands. ■