The Global Nature Fund (GNF), in partnership with the Living Lakes Network, has announced a transformative new project: Opportunities and Prospects for Wetlands: Ramsar Sites and Wetland Cities in Germany. Scheduled to run from September 2024 to August 2026, this initiative tackles one of the country’s most pressing environmental issues: the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. With a long history of leadership in wetland protection, GNF continues to harness the strength of its global Living Lakes Network to create innovative, collaborative solutions for biodiversity and climate challenges.
Wetlands are vital ecosystems that provide essential services, from biodiversity conservation to water management and climate regulation. Yet in Germany, over 90% of these ecosystems have been lost in the past 300 years, and 80% of the remaining wetlands are in poor ecological condition. The new initiative builds on the framework of the Ramsar Convention, the world’s oldest international environmental agreement, to address this crisis. Specifically, the project will educate the public on the critical role of wetlands, emphasizing their ecological, social, and economic significance through campaigns, exhibitions, and publications. It will engage municipalities by promoting Ramsar’s “Wetland Cities” concept, which highlights urban areas committed to sustainable wetland management, and strengthen capacity by developing potential studies and action plans tailored to German municipalities, informed by successful examples from the global Living Lakes Network.
Living Lakes Network connects over 130 member organizations in six continents, uniting stakeholders around a shared mission to protect lakes and wetlands. Through this network, GNF has facilitated groundbreaking conservation projects worldwide, fostering cross-border collaboration and knowledge exchange. This initiative will draw from the network’s wealth of experience to help German cities and communities protect their wetlands and receive recognition as “Wetland Cities,” further elevating the international profile of Germany’s environmental efforts.
The project’s success relies on partnerships across sectors. GNF invites municipalities, non-governmental organizations, educational institutions, and local communities to join in this effort. Together, they can restore Germany’s wetlands and demonstrate the powerful impact of collective action.
