• Half of world’s wetlands have disappeared since 1900s, with Mediterranean losses reaching 56%, according to global assessments
• World Wetlands Day marked Feb. 2 as UN-recognized observance, with 2026 theme focusing on wetlands, traditional knowledge

ISTANBUL

Türkiye has lost about 2 million hectares of wetlands over the past 60 years, an area roughly 1.5 times the size of the Marmara Sea, increasing drought risk, weakening biodiversity, and complicating efforts to combat climate change, an environmental expert said.

Feb. 2 is marked globally as World Wetlands Day, which has been observed since 1997 and was officially recognized by the UN General Assembly in 2021. The 2026 theme is “Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage.”

Speaking to Anadolu, Safak Arslan, conservation programs coordinator at the Doga (Nature) Association, said the theme highlights the long-standing relationship between communities and wetlands.

Arslan said around half of the world’s wetlands have disappeared since the 1900s, with losses in the Mediterranean Basin reaching 56%. In Türkiye alone, approximately 2 million hectares have vanished in the past six decades.

“In the last 60 years, the area of wetlands lost has reached 2 million hectares, approximately 1.5 times the size of the Marmara Sea,” Arslan said.

Wetlands’ role in climate and human history

Arslan said wetlands are among the world’s most important ecosystems due to their rich biodiversity and their role as carbon sinks, particularly peatlands, which store large amounts of carbon and help mitigate climate change.

“Since people adopted settled life, they have preferred to live near water and wetlands. There is a historical interaction and a co-developed way of life between humans and wetlands,” he said.

Arslan said wetland loss disrupts natural water cycles and is directly linked to rising drought risk. He added that unplanned and illegal groundwater extraction has intensified pressure on wetlands, causing long-term environmental damage.

“Communities living around wetlands have managed to use water, soil and production in harmony with nature for centuries. As this knowledge disappears today, wetlands are also vanishing rapidly,” he added.

Biodiversity under threat

Wetlands serve as critical habitats for many species and act as key stopovers for migratory birds, Arslan said, warning that their degradation forces wildlife to relocate or face population declines, disrupting entire ecosystems.

He said wetlands in Türkiye’s Konya Closed Basin, Tuz (Salt) Lake and parts of the Lakes Region have either dried up completely or shrunk significantly.

Arslan said agricultural irrigation accounts for about 80% of water use and is the main driver of wetland loss, while climate change accelerates the trend. He added that restoration efforts, alongside protection, are now essential and require cooperation among public institutions, local authorities, civil society groups and academics.