Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa formally opened the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP15) to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, marking the first time in the treaty’s 55‑year history that a head of state has led inauguration proceedings.
Under the theme “Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future,” the landmark gathering has attracted delegates from 172 countries to discuss the future of wetlands as vital climate, biodiversity, and livelihood assets.
In his keynote, President Mnangagwa said: “Wetlands are not wastelands. They are lifelines.” Zimbabwe’s assumption of the Ramsar presidency underscores its rising leadership in global environmental diplomacy.
He emphasized that the COP15 summit is “not only about Zimbabwe—it is about the world coming together to save our vital ecosystems for future generations”.
At the heart of Mnangagwa’s vision is the anticipated Victoria Falls Declaration—a collective commitment to scale up restoration and finance wetlands through a proposed Global Wetland Restoration Fund, positioning such ecosystems as key to climate-change mitigation and sustainable development.
IUCN’s Call: Concrete Solutions Now
Opening alongside Zimbabwe’s host leadership, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) urged global policymakers to shift from pledges to action.
In a press release published on the IUCN website coinciding with COP15, the organization called for concrete and scalable solutions to protect and restore wetlands around the world.
IUCN highlighted that successful restoration must integrate science-based frameworks and national biodiversity strategies as part of broader commitments in the triennial action cycle.
The IUCN message echoed throughout side‑events and technical panels, demanding that decision‑makers adopt bold instruments such as wetlands inventories, resilient governance structures, and financing mechanisms tailored to national circumstances.
Convention Secretariat: Wetlands at the Core of Sustainability
Musonda Mumba, Secretary General of the Ramsar Convention, spoke during preparatory sessions earlier this week, underscoring wetlands’ central role in ecosystem health and human well‑being. She said the conference must be “a moment where political leadership meets practical action… where wetlands are finally recognized as the backbone of sustainability”.
Drawing attention to alarming declines—wetlands representing just six percent of Earth’s land area have lost 37 percent since 1971, and freshwater species down 84 percent since 1970—Mumba called for urgent alignment of policy with science and socio‑economic planning.
Mumba reiterated that COP15 brings together regional groups from Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania, all forging consensus on draft resolutions for the next three‑year period. Delegates were encouraged to adopt coordinated approaches across flyways, cross‑border ecosystems, and transnational initiatives.
China and Other Delegations Pledge Regional Progress
Representatives from China’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration reaffirmed their country’s commitment to strengthening legal and institutional frameworks for wetland protection.
They emphasized international cooperation to boost conservation outcomes in line with national climate goals, offering to share technical approaches and capacity building initiatives at COP15 plenaries.
Beyond keynote addresses, COP15 hosts dozens of side‑events focused on innovative financing, youth engagement, restoration, ecohydrology, and urban wetlands. Of note is the launch of the Southern Africa Ramsar Regional Initiative, new funding models for wetlands in urban settings, and youth leadership panels to sustain convention momentum beyond member state negotiations.
Ramsar Secretary General Musonda Mumba urged that COP15 become the turning point where political intent translates into on‑the‑ground implementation, recognising wetlands as critical infrastructure for people and planet.
Looking Ahead
As COP15 proceeds through July 31, expectations are high for a strong declaration and financing commitments. Under Zimbabwe’s leadership, delegates aim to embed wetland restoration in broader global climate, biodiversity, and sustainable development agendas.
What started as a historic opening by President Mnangagwa now carries the weight of a turning point—a global push for wetland protection that stakeholders hope will reshape the future of this vital ecosystem.
