Topic: 2025-Conserving Wetlands
Country: Mongolia
Delegate Name: Bela Haight
Wetlands are a vital part of our ecosystem, and provide an infinite amount of economic and environmental benefits to our world’s inhabitants. Not only are wetlands a crucial site for endangered species, they have a value of 47 trillion dollars globally each year (Marine and Freshwater Research 2018), and act as a natural deterrent for floods. Over time, wetlands have been susceptible to pollution, water drainage, and endangered species, and have been the loss of wetlands has increased drastically. The loss of wetlands will endanger many species, cause damage due to droughts, and trigger erosion that will endanger animals as well as humans.
While wetlands used to cover 2% of Mongolia, they have been disappearing rapidly, which has taken a devastating hit to the environment. The loss of these wetlands has led to an increased number of droughts as well as forest fires in Mongolia along with many other parts of the world. The overgrazing and over-mining of these areas has led to the rapid decline of these all-important habitats.
In 2024, Wetlands International began the implementation of a five year plan to work towards the preservation of wetlands which is based on a plan created for Mongolia’s wetlands, and plans to restore close to 25,000 hectares of wetlands. In Mongolia, wetlands contribute to a large amount of emissions of greenhouse gases, and this project will work to combat the problems that come with the desecration of wetlands.
Mongolia suggests that a plan to protect and preserve wetlands is implemented, such as a limit on things that may lead to the decline of this habitat, such as pollutants, overgrazing, and other human activities. Together this group will work together to research more plans to help solve this threat to our society.
