(MENAFN) China’s pioneering integration of wetlands within urban environments offers a powerful example for sustainable city planning, according to a senior official from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

Speaking with media during the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP15) in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, Christine Colvin, WWF’s freshwater policy lead, praised the recognition of nine Chinese cities as International Wetland Cities at the summit.

"They (Chinese) are leading the way in terms of sponge cities and making cities permeable again," Colvin remarked, highlighting that urban growth must not sacrifice wetlands, which play a critical role in climate adaptation efforts.

She underscored the necessity of nature-based approaches that incorporate wetlands into city planning, explaining how China is setting an example for local governments and mayors worldwide on reintroducing natural elements into urban landscapes. This approach fosters permeability and restores the natural water cycle.

Colvin predicted that such urban models will define the cities of the future—offering greater climate resilience and enhanced water security.

She also cautioned that ongoing wetland degradation and ecosystem collapse threaten essential resources like food supply, water availability, and overall climate stability.

"This COP is really important in terms of setting goals for the next period, for the next decade, and the strategic plan for the contracting parties to Ramsar," she said. "It prioritises cooperation, international cooperation."

The COP15 conference, which commenced last Thursday and will continue until July 31, focuses on the theme "Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future." It gathers government officials committed to reinforcing global wetland conservation efforts and emphasizing wetlands' crucial role in maintaining biodiversity, ecological health, and climate resilience.

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