Wetland Degradation and Its Environmental Consequences

  • Unique Paper ID: 195753
  • PageNo: 216-222
  • Keywords: .
  • Abstract:
  • Wetlands are among the most productive and ecologically important ecosystems, providing critical services such as biodiversity support, water purification, flood control, and climate regulation. However, rapid urbanization, industrialization, agricultural expansion, pollution, and climate change are causing widespread wetland degradation. This paper examines the causes of wetland degradation, including over-extraction of water, invasive species, and unsustainable resource use, and analyzes their environmental and socio-economic consequences. These include loss of biodiversity, reduced water quality, increased flooding, declining livelihoods, and climate change impacts. The paper also explores the role of wetlands in sustainable development, emphasizing their importance in water management, disaster risk reduction, and carbon sequestration. Furthermore, it reviews government initiatives and policies at national and international levels, such as the National Wetland Conservation Programme and the Ramsar Convention, and identifies future challenges in balancing development with wetland conservation. The study highlights the urgent need for integrated management strategies, scientific monitoring, community participation, and policy enforcement to ensure the long-term preservation of wetlands and their ecosystem services.

Copyright & License

Copyright © 2026 Authors retain the copyright of this article. This article is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

BibTeX

@article{195753,
        author = {Miss Samiksha Santosh Kale},
        title = {Wetland Degradation and Its Environmental Consequences},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {12},
        number = {no},
        pages = {216-222},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=195753},
        abstract = {Wetlands are among the most productive and ecologically important ecosystems, providing critical services such as biodiversity support, water purification, flood control, and climate regulation. However, rapid urbanization, industrialization, agricultural expansion, pollution, and climate change are causing widespread wetland degradation. This paper examines the causes of wetland degradation, including over-extraction of water, invasive species, and unsustainable resource use, and analyzes their environmental and socio-economic consequences. These include loss of biodiversity, reduced water quality, increased flooding, declining livelihoods, and climate change impacts. The paper also explores the role of wetlands in sustainable development, emphasizing their importance in water management, disaster risk reduction, and carbon sequestration. Furthermore, it reviews government initiatives and policies at national and international levels, such as the National Wetland Conservation Programme and the Ramsar Convention, and identifies future challenges in balancing development with wetland conservation. The study highlights the urgent need for integrated management strategies, scientific monitoring, community participation, and policy enforcement to ensure the long-term preservation of wetlands and their ecosystem services.},
        keywords = {.},
        month = {March},
        }

Cite This Article

Kale, M. S. S. (2026). Wetland Degradation and Its Environmental Consequences. International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology (IJIRT), 12(no), 216–222.

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