Home / Environment / Wetlands Get Digital Voice in West Bengal
Wetlands Get Digital Voice in West Bengal
3 Feb
Summary
- A digital platform, 'Voices for Wetlands,' launched to aid conservation.
- West Bengal has over 4.6 lakh wetlands covering 12.9% of its area.
- The platform aims to integrate community knowledge with scientific data.
A citizen-centric digital platform, 'Voices for Wetlands,' was launched in Kolkata on Monday to bolster conservation initiatives across West Bengal. This community-led program, a collaboration between The Climate Thinker and Asar Social Impact Advisors, aims to highlight the state's wetland status and promote people-centric conservation.
An assessment revealed West Bengal has 4,62,523 wetlands, covering approximately 1.18 million hectares, which is nearly 12.9% of the state's total geographical area. These wetlands, including vital ecosystems like the East Kolkata Wetlands and Sundarbans, face threats from urbanization, pollution, and climate change.
The 'Voices for Wetlands' platform will unite satellite data, community insights, and policy discussions to foster conservation. It seeks to document wetland stories and traditional knowledge, connecting community groups, researchers, and policymakers to encourage collective action and balance ecological needs with livelihoods.
