World risks up to $39 trillion in economic losses from vanishing wetlands, report says
KENYA, JUL 16 – Wetlands provide ecosystem services worth 7.5% of global GDP but are shrinking by 0.52% annually, risking up to $39 trillion in losses by 2050 without urgent conservation action.
- On Tuesday, July 15, Global Wetland Outlook 2025 warned of up to $39 trillion in losses, published by the Convention on Wetlands in Nairobi, highlighting urgent ecological and economic risks.
- Intensive land-use changes are fueling wetland decline, with 22% vanished since 1970 and an annual loss rate of 0.52%.
- Despite covering only 6% of Earth’s surface, wetlands provide services valued at 7.5% of global GDP, exemplified by Zambia’s Kafue Flats project, which unlocked $30 million annually, according to the Global Wetland Outlook 2025.
- Evelyn Ndlovu said the data will help inform policies, while Musonda Mumba called for increased investments and cross-border conservation efforts.
- The report indicates substantial funding needs, with estimates suggesting $275 billion to $550 billion annually to reverse wetland threats, Dr Hugh Robertson said.
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World risks R700-trillion in economic losses from vanishing wetlands: report
The global destruction of wetlands, which support fisheries, agriculture and flood control, may mean the loss of $39-trillion in economic benefits by 2050, according to a report by the Convention on Wetlands released on Tuesday.
World risks up to $39 trillion in economic losses from vanishing wetlands, report says
The global destruction of wetlands, which support fisheries, agriculture and flood control, may mean the loss of $39 trillion in economic benefits by 2050, according to a report by the Convention on Wetlands released on Tuesday.


Wetland loss could cost global economy 39 tln USD, report warns
NAIROBI, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Unchecked wetland degradation could trigger a 39 trillion U.S. dollar loss to the global economy, alongside worsening water stress and food insecurity, according to a report released Tuesday. Read full story
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