Background Wetlands International is a worldwide, non-profit organisation with more than 60 years of experience. Our organisation is made up of a network of offices, with outstanding technical staff around the world. By enabling others to safeguard and manage wetlands better, we help to reconcile conflicts over water, reduce the risks and impacts floods and droughts, meet future food needs and tackle climate change. Wetlands act as water sources, sinks and purifiers. They protect our shores. They are Earth’s greatest natural carbon stores. They support abundant and unique nature. But we have lost much of this wetland treasure. Since 1900 more than 64% of freshwater wetlands have been lost through drainage and conversion and much of the rest have been degraded. This leaves people and na