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Economic valuation of changes in ecosystem services of 77 Ramsar wetlands in West Asia over 37 years (1984–2021)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2024

Qadir Ashournejad Open the ORCID record for Qadir Ashournejad [Opens in a new window]  and
Fateme Garshasbi
Qadir Ashournejad*
Affiliation:
Department of Geography and Urban Planning, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran
Fateme Garshasbi
Affiliation:
Department of Geography and Urban Planning, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran
*
Corresponding author: Qadir Ashournejad; Email: [email protected]
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Summary

In the West Asia region, the vulnerability of Ramsar Convention wetlands due to unsustainable utilization driven by water scarcity continues to grow. Here, a global surface water product generated by the European Joint Research Centre was used to assess changes in surface water in 77 wetlands listed under the Ramsar Convention over a 37-year period (1984–2021). By combining this product with a quantitative valuation model, estimates were made of the economic value of the ecosystem services provided by these wetlands, enabling the determination of the economic losses resulting from any reduction in surface water. We show that 20% (7550 km2) of permanent surface waters in Ramsar sites have disappeared or are no longer classified as permanent. Based on this, USD 106 billion of the economic value of wetlands ecosystem services have been lost. Additionally, 33% (12 100 km2) of seasonal surface waters in these wetlands have experienced a decrease in area. Iran and Iraq account for 90% of water losses, primarily in 34 wetlands (30 in Iran and 4 in Iraq). These findings underscore the urgent need for water management policies and conservation strategies in the West Asia region.

Keywords

Ecosystem servicesRamsar Conventionremote sensingWest Asiawetland
Type
Research Paper
Information
Environmental Conservation , Volume 51 , Issue 3 , September 2024 , pp. 196 - 202
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Foundation for Environmental Conservation

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