At the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, held at Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, Dr Vivek Saxena represented India. He is the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden of Haryana, and a former Country Representative for IUCN. Dr. Saxena took part in a special side event on “National Wetland Inventories: Tools, Challenges, and Opportunities Across the Globe.”
Dr Saxena gave a presentation on “Conservation of Small Wetlands – Indian Experiences.” He spoke about India’s success in reviving over 68,000 small wetlands under the Amrit Sarovar Mission and Mission Sahbhagita, which adopts an “all of society” approach. He highlighted the use of advanced GIS-based mapping, strong systems like the Haryana State Wetland Authority, and and convergence with government schemes for holistic and sustainable wetland restoration.
The global COP15 conference, themed “Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future,” was attended by environment ministers, including India’s Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, scientists, and conservation leaders from across the world. Key discussions centered around mainstreaming wetlands into national policies, community-led planning, climate resilience, and the urgent need for sustainable financing.
India’s leadership was prominently acknowledged, with the cities of Indore and Udaipur receiving Wetland City Accreditation.
Dr. Saxena also engaged with international conservation leaders including Grethel Aguilar, Director General, IUCN, and representatives from ZimParks, where he shared Haryana’s innovations in decentralized wetland governance.
The presentation highlighted India’s pioneering efforts in high-resolution mapping of small wetlands, establishment of institutional mechanisms, and national programmes like Mission Sahbhagita and Amrit Sarovar Yojana, through which 68,827 wetlands have been rejuvenated in just one year—many under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
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