The loss of wetlands worldwide could lead to $39 trillion in lost economic benefits by 2050, according to a report released Tuesday by the Convention on Wetlands.
The ecosystems provide key services such as flood control, water purification, and carbon storage.
Wetlands also support agriculture, fisheries, and cultural activities, but have been disappearing at a faster rate than any other ecosystem. Since 1970, 22% of both freshwater and coastal marine wetlands—including rivers, lakes, mangroves, peatlands, and coral reefs—have vanished.
The report said about 411 million hectares have been lost so far, an area equal to half a billion football fields. It added that a quarter of the remaining wetlands are now in a degraded state. The decline is driven by land-use change, pollution, agricultural expansion, invasive species, and climate impacts such as drought and rising sea levels.
To protect remaining wetlands, the report calls for annual investments of $275 billion to $550 billion. It said current global spending falls far short but did not give specific figures.
The report was published ahead of a global meeting of the Convention on Wetlands in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. The agreement, signed in 1971 by 172 countries including China, the U.S., and Russia, aims to promote wetland conservation. The group meets every three years, though it is not clear if all members will attend.
Wetland damage is most severe in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, but conditions are also getting worse in Europe and North America. Restoration efforts are under way in countries such as Zambia, Cambodia, and China.
