Wetland City Accreditation: MoEFCC nominates first 3 cities from India
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Source- This post is based on the article “Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change submits proposals for Wetland City Accreditation under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands for cities of Indore, Bhopal and Udaipur” published in “PIB” on 4th January 2024.

Why in the News?

MoEF&CC has nominated Indore (Madhya Pradesh), Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), and Udaipur (Rajasthan) for Wetland City Accreditation (WCA) under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

What is Wetland City Accreditation (WCA) Scheme?

WCA cities
Source- Ramsar.org
SpecificationsDetails
What is it?It is a voluntary system under the Ramsar Convention to acknowledge cities that have taken exceptional measures to conserve and protect urban and peri-urban wetlands. It was introduced in 2015.
AimTo enhance the conservation and sustainable utilization of urban and peri-urban wetlands, providing socio-economic benefits for local communities.
Accreditation criteriaThe Operational Guidance for WCA of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands encompasses six international criteria that a city must meet to qualify.
Significance for India1) The WCA allows cities to gain international recognition for their efforts in protecting their wetlands.
2) It will also raise public awareness about urban wetland conservation.
3) Further, it will aid in nationwide implementation of Amrit Dharohar initiative by MoEF&CC.

Important wetlands of these three nominated cities:

IndoreBhopalUdaipur
The city has 2 Ramsar sites- Sirpur Lake and Yashwant Sagar.Bhoj Wetland, a Ramsar SiteThe city is surrounded by five major wetlands, namely, Pichola, Fateh Sagar, Rang Sagar, Swaroop Sagar, and Doodh Talai

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