by Pretty Chavango
As Zimbabwe joins the global community in observing World Wetlands Day, the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA) has raised concerns over the country’s fragile wetlands calling for stronger legal protections to prevent their degradation.
Despite Zimbabwe’s ratification of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in 2012 and the designation of seven wetlands as internationally significant, ZELA warns that critical gaps remain in conservation efforts with the delay in finalizing the national Wetlands Policy a key concern.
“Without a strong legal framework, wetlands will continue to face pressure from harmful activities,” pointing out that poorly enforced regulations have left wetlands vulnerable to construction, pollution, and other destructive practices.
This year’s theme, “Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future,” underscores the importance of safeguarding these critical ecosystems for current and future generations.
The need for continued advocacy and action to strengthen the legal and institutional frameworks for wetland conservation is critical as is the finalization of the national Wetlands Policy, ZELA stresses the importance of robust measures to ensure sustainable wetland use and protection.
“We urge all stakeholders involved in wetlands management to collaborate effectively and overcome institutional challenges that hinder conservation efforts,” A strong institutional and legal framework is crucial for the integrated management and wise use of wetlands, particularly Ramsar sites which require special protection.”
In their statement, ZELA also called for a review of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process to better account for biodiversity and ecological considerations. The organization further criticised current penalties for activities that harm wetlands as being too weak to deter offenders advocating for higher fines and more stringent Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) that consider biodiversity and ecological factors.
“Fines for reclaiming or draining wetlands need to be high enough to make people think twice before violating conservation laws,”
As part of its awareness efforts, ZELA launched a “Speak for Wetlands” initiative, which will run until the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP15) to the Ramsar Convention, scheduled for July 2025 in Victoria Falls. The initiative aims to amplify collective calls urging decision-makers to prioritize wetland conservation.