The African Coalition of Communities Responsive to Climate Change (ACCRCC) has called on African governments, policymakers, and development partners to urgently strengthen the protection of wetlands and place communities at the centre of conservation and climate action efforts.
As the continent grapples with worsening climate impacts—ranging from floods and droughts to food and water insecurity—wetlands remain one of Africa’s most underprotected yet vital ecosystems.
“Wetlands are frontline defences against climate change,” said Henry Neondo, Policy Advocacy Lead at ACCRCC. “They absorb floods, store carbon, support livelihoods, and sustain biodiversity. Yet they are being destroyed faster than they can recover, often in the name of short-term development.
ACCRCC warns that continued degradation of wetlands threatens not only ecosystems but also the survival of millions of communities who depend on them for fishing, farming, grazing, and freshwater.
Andrew Sande, the Uganda Country Director, ACCRCC said human activities are threatening the survival of wetlands in the country. He noted that the country’s wetland coverage reduced from 15.6 percent in 1994 to 8.9 percent in 2021. “ Uganda could lose its wetlands in the next fifteen years,” he said.
According to Dr Rosalind Nkirote, Executive Advisor at ACCRCC, inclusive governance is critical to reversing this trend. “Communities are the most effective custodians of wetlands when their rights are respected and their knowledge valued. Sustainable wetland management must be community-led, gender-responsive, and climate-informed,” she said.
To mark World Wetlands Day, ACCRCC is urging governments to:
- Prioritise wetlands in national climate and development policies;
- Increase public investment in wetland restoration and protection;
- Ensure meaningful participation of local and Indigenous communities in decision-making; and
- Hold developers accountable for environmental degradation.
ACCRCC reaffirmed its commitment to working with grassroots communities, civil society, researchers, and policymakers to advance climate-resilient development pathways that protect both people and nature.