Wetlands & Water: World Wetlands Day 2021

 Wetlands sustain life. Wetlands protect life. The day of adoption of Ramsar Convention protecting wetlands, February 2nd, has since been celebrated as " World Wetlands Day." The 2021 theme is Water and Wetlands both vital for survival and both used up as urban centres sprawl to take up what used to be vital wetlands that have sustained life and livelihoods for centuries.

According to the Ramsar Convention, the inclusive definition of Wetlands is as follows:

“…wetlands are areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres."

This inclusive definition is important in the quest to protect what's left of the wetlands - these teeming biodiversity hotspots because so many cities - metros and capitals have been built on or around what used to be massive wetland systems. 

Dismissed as "swamps," drained of water and later pumped full of concrete our "urban planners" of the past have created water scarce cities that are ironically flood prone as well. As the cooling water, flora and fauna of the marshes were replaced by concrete cities urban heat islands flourished negating the wetland carbon sinks and adding to global warming and the climate emergency.

Last year, the Ramsar-Bonn connect was highlighted just before the pandemic ground the world world to a halt, at the 13th conference of parties to the Bonn Convention of migratory species of wild animals, hosted in India: 10 wetlands across India were designated Ramsar sites or "wetland sites of international importance."

Migratory birds in salt marshes - Rann of Kutch

Hopefully as the powers that be commit to sustainable development, our wetlands will be protected and future cities will all be sustainable cities not just "smart cities." Wetlands and water are inseparable and if we are to tackle the climate crisis we need to put protecting wetlands at the heart of climate action. 

Wetlands are water reservoirs, natural flood prevention, vital carbon sinks as well as sustaining a vast array of biodiversity. Urbanization is an inevitable consequence of modernization but if mankind is to survive our cities shouldn't grow at the cost of wetlands. Another consequence of urbanization and modernization is the growing plastic crisis - plastic waste is as dangerous to the health and survival of wetlands as marine plastic is to oceans. But, there are many efforts underway to remove plastics and landfills from our wetlands as well as efforts to stop plastic from ending up in wetlands in the first place. 

How wetlands manage water: Wisconsisn

Wetlands are the final defense against the intensified flood-drought cycle caused by climate change. Cities running out of water is an ever-recurring crisis across the planet and wetlands, as shown in Kolkata and Kochi, can be vital in ensuring water security and SDG 6 (Clean water and sanitation) in cities. After the Chennai Floods back in 2015 and the Vardah Cyclone the following year, many people saw first hand how fast the Pallikarnai Marsh absorbed flood waters, yet we continue to encroach upon it with concrete and garbage to expand this already water-starved flood-prone city of Chennai. 

Protecting wetlands is ensuring water security and water security spells human security. Thus it is in the interest of mankind to SAVE THE WETLANDS!

Water and Climate Change: World Water Day 2020

On World Water Day, observed on March 22nd annually, the theme this time #WorldWaterDay20202 explores the connection between #water and #ClimateChange. 

In terms of the sustainable development goals #SDGs, this year's theme for #WWD2020 brings into focus both #SDG6 & #SDG13 - Clean Water and Sanitation as well as #ClimateAction respectively. 

An event I attended in Chennai on March 7, 2020, Eco-fest 2020 showcased experiments and edu-tainment by school students from the to highlight ecology and environmental issues of the city. The street play that they put up in particular linked the need to revive the lifeline of the city the River Adyar by increasing the tree cover in the watershed area of the river as well as restoring and replenishing the many water bodies, in Tamil "eri" as well as ponds and temple tanks that feed the river as well as the water table. As climate change gets to work worsening the weather patterns and natural systems of Chennai as well as India and other climate frontline states, water stress and flood-drought cycles will become the norm that will affect the millions of people living in the vulnerable regions. This climate changed charged has the potential to kill, sicken and impoverish millions if not tackled ASAP. 

The Street Play put up by "சுற்றுச்சூழல்

நாடக சபா" [Environmental Drama Club] in keeping with the tradition of street plays in Tamil Nadu known as Therukuthu (தெருகூத்து ) had a mythological theme with bright costumes and brash monologues by a narrator who regularly interacts with the audience. The narrator/common man in this play stole the show as he jumped and exclaimed along and showcased ecological mythic play. 

 In order to incorporate the environmental theme they linked the myth of the Demon King (Asura) Padhmasura who was granted the boon of burning down anything he puts his hand over by the Lord Shiva (the Divine Destroyer) who was finally destroyed by the Divine Protector Lord Vishnu in the guise of the beautiful nymph Mohini problems of the city's water stress and the polluted Adyar River, the reduction of clean water sources in the river due to an ecologically devastated water shed area with abounding with deforestation and usurping and polluting of water bodies. Characters such as the Earth Goddess (Bhoomi) and the Water God (Varuna) as well as the Forest Goddess/nymph to spread the message of water conservation and afforestation to ensure a water positive Adyar Watershed Area made for a very entertaining and educative evening for us all. 

The photo-booth captured the essence of the city's ecology while the shadow puppetry by the class 6 students of the host school Vidyaniketan was amazing highlighting the source and effects of global warming and climate change. The shadow puppet plays brought out the plight of the Ennore Creek because of the thermal power station in the region as well as the industrialization of that ecologically sensitive area in the north end of the city. The link between coal-powered fossil fuel plants like the one polluting Ennore Creek was also succinctly shown. The impact of climate change and global warming increasing forest fires, floods, droughts and biodiversity loss was also showcased in the short presentation. 

So well done and kudos to the kids, their teachers and the playwrights and craftspersons...all excellent communicators for the cause of our ecology. The young and committed resource persons of the Pitchandikulam Forest Community (PFC) have been adding immense value to the environmental studies component of schools in Chennai. Their outreach and restoration efforts in the city has improved the city's environment and environment education. They have been involved with the creation of Adyar Pooga in the estuary area of the Adyar River as well as in conducting informative Adyar river walks from Chembarrambakkam reservoir to the river mouth on Elliot's Beach emptying water into the Bay of Bengal past revived mangrove islands in the river flowing past Theosophical Society's Adyar HQ. The impact we have on the river and the river's importance to sustaining and safeguarding the city and its biodiversity was made clear in both Adyar Poonga and Adyar River Walk by the informative exchanges with the PFC resource persons. 

 

On World Water Day (March 22nd) and World Forest Day (March 21st) that just preceded it, as we focus on the connections between water and climate change as well as forests and biodiversity in our water stressed, fossil fuel guzzling and carbon emitting cities, efforts like that of PFC to educate and restore goes a long way in healing Mother Nature.  

#Throwback my 2016 article on #WorldWaterDay2020: For #water #resilientcities via @DeccanHerald
On theme #WaterAndClimateChange highlights #SDG6, #SDG11 #SDG13 & the #ClimateSummit #CleanWater #sanitation #sustainablecities #ClimateAction are #HumanRights https://t.co/IHfrqLJVEh

— Raakhee Suryaprakash (@10sunshinegal) March 22, 2020

As we deal with the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic on our lives, lifestyles, livelihoods, economy and ecology, the importance of clean water and sanitation in protecting us from outbreaks and leaving forests pristine and untouched and biodiversity protected are all reinforced. Be it water and climate change or forests and biodiversity, it is in our interest, a matter of survival of our species, to live lightly and protect nature and her resources. 

Churning Waters: Women, Water, Myths & More

I attended the performance Churning Waters at DakshinaChitra on February 3, 2019. As I mention in my Twitter thread, this performance which was part of Australia Fest was an enlightening experience. It was art for a cause at its finest, for many key social justice, environmental justice and gender justice issues were highlighted.  Indian & Aboriginal women performance artists and dancers and storyteller collaborated to highlight issues such as pollution, inequitable growth, the legacies of colonization, loss of identity and loss language [mother tongue], corporate greed, fracking, plastic pollution, climate change, and water woes. 

 

The performances linked many stories from the Das Avatar (10 Incarnations of the Divine Protector Lord Vishnu) to environmental issues. The Bharatnatyam performance by Priyadarshini Govind held within the Chettinad House linked Krishna dancing on the head of the serpent Kalia which was polluting the River Yamuna to the Sterlite protests. This was in response to the one of the Aboriginal performers sharing the story of how indigenous resources and sacred spaces were being exploited and the water polluted by mining and other industries.

I particularly liked the concept of the story tree, where narrations by the performers of the synopsis of their performances were recorded like powerful podcasts.  As someone who loves Orcas - the largest of dolphins the so-called Killer Whale, I loved the linking of the Matsya (Fish) avatar of Lord Vishnu to the Dreamtime legend of the Orcas and aboriginal tribes of New South Wales the Uru and the Yuni who could speak to the Orcas and the Orcas and the Aboriginals would come together to hunt Sperm Whales the very epitome of sustainable fishing: 

The 'Law of the Tongue' was that once the whales were harpooned and killed the whalers would leave them overnight for the Orcas to eat the tongues.
The Orcas would leave the rest of the carcass for the whalers.

 
More such social justice, environmental justice and gender justice storytelling is needed  and has to be showcased to wider audiences. As the title suggests Churning Waters was linked the Hindu myth of Samudra Manthan (the reason for the Kurma [Turtle] avatar of Lord Vishnu] - or as this installation at the Suvarnabhoomi Airport in Bangkok puts it - the churning of the milk ocean:
 

The finale was particularly poignant, for it relates ocean clean up to Samudra Manthan – the Hindu mythic churning of sacred milk ocean that yielded great poison before yielding the ocean's treasures and its bounty. The Gods and demons came together to churn the sacred ocean, face down the great poison and benefit from its bounty including the nectar of immortality. Marine plastic pollution was depicted as 21st Century’s great poison. While clean drinking water is already at a premium we continue to pollute water bodies with plastics and all sorts of pollutants. Over-fishing and the exponentially increasing plastic pollution of the seas is drastically reducing marine biodiversity and reducing fishing yields. We are the guardians of natural resources and to ensure our survival and that of other living beings that share our home planet we need to work to protect water bodies, forests and the environment. The rights, stories and leadership of women and indigenous people in guiding mankind towards true sustainable development was beautifully conveyed by this performance.

Guest Post 2: Save Water

2nd Guest Post by Venkatesh R.

[Editor's Note: Drought and Flood-Drought cycles and fresh water scarcity are the plagues of the 21st century. Be it in urban or rural areas access to safe drinking water is an indicator of development and ease of living. Venkat shares with us some means to improve water quality and water levels wherever you may be.]
 

Bamboo as Conduits of Rainwater Harvesting

Simple ways of handling the rain water can reduce and improve the ground water level. With rain being inconsistent, it’s important to save the water that is available. The simple idea of having bamboo with holes around its length can help in sending the water to a longer distance beneath the surface of the earth. In the conventional houses we are having cement based floors and even in roads the water stagnates. If the roads are made with slopes and if we can have the bamboo at particular intervals the water instead of getting stagnated on the roads and houses gets passed on to the bamboo setup and can improve the ground water level. In villages as well this can be followed up.

At the end learn and share and encourage to participate on SDG goals:

 Encourage children to think metaphorically, the nature has an answer; we need to put it as a concept and concept in action by spreading to school and colleges.

Water conservation can turn a wasteland into wonderland as demonstrated at Aravalli Institute of Management at Kaprada village, Rajasthan:

Forest in the City

Trees roots do act like pipes. One can plant trees between the actual road and service roads, i.e., before the platform. Trees regulate the temperature; the same can be done on agricultural land as well. Street lights are way taller than trees so I don't think it may affect the lighting. One may prefer to plant trees that grows to a certain limit be it vertical or sideways. The amount of money spent in garbage or water problem one can address it with trees by pruning it periodically. Nature does have solution; only man-made products are creating the issue. If one can replicate natural systems, life on  earth will survive for much longer. All the ecosystems plant, insect etc. are interconnected when one specie dies other species as well gets affected or the food chain itself gets changed.

This  44-page technical report compiled in 2014 by IISC provides an exhaustive list of “Tree species for planting on medians and road avenues,”and can be downloaded as a PDF.

Down To Earth documents the creation of a Food Forest and an elaborate water and native seed conservation system created in Nayagarh district of Odisha by Sabarmatee and her father Radha Mohan through the trust Sambav.

Guest Contributor Bio

Venkatesh R. is a Science and Social issues blogger with 10+ years of experience in the IT industry. Venkat is on a mission to create a better world for children. Venkat has won the "Beyond the Armchair" challenge conducted by the Red Elephant Foundation (REF), has contributed a number of articles in Voices of Youth, and has shared a number of ideas in climatecolab.org innovation labs, UNHSCR, GPY2015 and Openideo forums for the past 6 years. His writings and ideas can be accessed at: http://vramanusocialthoughts.blogspot.com/ (Social Issues); https://fissionminded.blogspot.com/ (His writings to bring a change in society through art as a medium); Science Blogs: http://randomthoughtsofvramanu.blogspot.com/  https://vramanu.blogspot.com/