Today, 15 July 2025, the Global Wetland Outlook 2025, the flagship report of the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar) was launched during a live online event hosted by the Ramsar Secretariat and UNEP in Nairobi. The report offers a timely and powerful call to action for countries, conservation agencies, and communities to accelerate efforts to protect and restore the world’s wetlands.
The Outlook, developed by Ramsar’s Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP), presents a sobering picture of global wetland loss and degradation. It quantifies the ecological and economic consequences of inaction, highlights the growing wetland financing gap, and outlines practical pathways for action from prevention and improved management to large-scale restoration. While restoration remains essential, the Outlook emphasises that prevention is more cost-effective as, once degraded, wetlands are expensive and difficult to restore.
South Africa is proud to have contributed to the GWO, with a national case study featured in the report. The case study highlights the new automated wetland condition assessment methodology developed through the National Wetland Map (NWM) programme. This innovative approach GIS automation and stakeholder validation to provide a scalable, cost-effective way of tracking wetland ecosystem condition across the country. The National Wetland Map is a collaborative initiative between SANBI, Dr Nacelle Collins of DESTEA who developed the automation methodology, as well as national and provincial environmental departments, researchers, and implementing partners. The new methodology represents a significant step forward in strengthening the country’s capacity to report on wetland health and guide planning and conservation efforts.
Nancy Job, SANBI’s Freshwater programme lead, was part of the international team that contributed to the development of the Outlook. Her role ensured that South Africa’s innovation in wetland monitoring was recognised and shared with a global audience.
The Global Wetland Outlook 2025 will be showcased at the upcoming Ramsar Conference of the Parties (COP) later this year.
The full report is now available here