Over the last 300 years. nearly 90% of the world’s wetlands have been degraded and are currently being lost three times faster than forests. Wetlands are critical habitat for life on our planet, providing biodiversity hotspots, carbon sinks, freshwater stores and sources of livelihoods.. World Wetlands Day is celebrated each year on February 2 to raise pubic awareness about wetlands. It marks the anniversary of the Convention on Wetlands - an international treaty adopted in 1971 by the UN Tin what is known as the "Ramsar Convention", after the convention's host city of Ramsar, Iran.