What’s in the news?

• Indore  (Madhya Pradesh) and Udaipur (Rajasthan) have become the first two Indian cities that made it to the global list of accredited wetland cities under the Ramsar Convention, an intergovernmental treaty that provides a framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. 
  • Accreditation is an international recognition for the cities that value their natural and human-made wetlands. 
• An independent Advisory Committee on Wetland City Accreditation of the Convention in its latest round accredited 31 new cities, including two from India, making the global list of such cities to reach 74.
• Accreditation is granted to only those cities which satisfy all the six international criteria including adopting measures for conservation of wetlands and their ecosystem services. 
• The global list of 74 accredited wetland cities comprises the highest 22 from China followed by nine from France. 
• The accreditation scheme aims to promote conservation and wise use of urban and peri-urban wetlands as well as sustainable socio-economic benefits for local populations.
  • The international convention on wetlands, adopted in 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar, provides a framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources across its 172-member countries including India. 
  • At present, 85 wetlands in India are protected under the treaty.

https://www.thestatesman.com/india/udaipur-indore-recognized-as-ramsar-wetland-cities-a-first-for-india-1503391387.html