FROM OUR CEO
Jane Madgwick, Chief Executive Officer, Wetlands International
In 2020, Wetlands International became an active partner in the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, pledging to work with others to recover diverse, functioning wetlands as a basis for a resilient and liveable Earth. We had planned to host regional stakeholder gatherings to build collaboration for safeguarding and restoring wetlands, while also celebrating our 25th anniversary as a global organisation. In addition, a packed agenda of convention meetings for biodiversity (CBD), wetlands (Ramsar) and climate (UNFCCC) meant that in January 2020 the stage was set for a hectic global schedule.
In 2020, Wetlands International proudly became a supporting partner to the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
We have set high ambitions for this decade in our Strategic Intent, including 2030 global targets on wetland recovery which we are inviting others to adopt and integrate in their action plans. The scale of wetland recovery that we need is daunting, which means that sustaining and restoring wetlands needs to become everyone’s business. I am grateful to all our members, partners and donors for your continuing support. Please enjoy our stories in this review and use it to bring many others on board!
brought some benefits to individuals but also the challenge of keeping a sense of team and introducing new staff to the organisation. Learning from this experience will lead to some permanent changes in our way of working. Despite the constraints, 2020 included many highlights and milestones. The launch of the Global Mangrove Watch platform, that combines previously dispersed data and can guide policy and practical actions for mangroves, is something that was only a dream a decade ago. Setting up a new wetland carbon programme, rejuvenating our global peatlands programme, and agreeing to innovative partnerships with two leading companies, has built the foundation for a new portfolio of major landscape initiatives. 2020 was the final year of our €1 million grant from the Dutch Postcode Lottery which supported many of the outcomes featured in this review. We were delighted in early 2021 to be awarded an additional €1.5 million grant which will enable us to strengthen our effectiveness and leverage more impact from our programmes in the coming three years.
It turned out differently. The rapid spread of the Covid-19 pandemic changed everyone’s priorities dramatically. In March, we took measures to ensure the safety of staff and partners and helped each other adapt to new ways of communicating and working. We re-shaped our stakeholder engagement through an online campaign #PowerofWetlands and this generated an inspiring movement of youth champions for wetlands. As you can read in this annual review, our staff have been innovative and determined in helping people living in and around wetlands secure their well-being while still conserving nature’s values. Thanks to pre-existing strong collaborations with local communities, partners and government agencies, much of our planned programmes could continue, albeit in an adapted form. We used web meetings and workshops to finalise our Strategic Intent 2020-2030, with the support of our stakeholders and members, to fulfil our governance responsibilities and engage audiences relevant for our programmes. Working from home for much of the year
Thank you.
Jane Madgwick, CEO, Wetlands International
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Wetlands International Annual Review 2020
Wetlands International Annual Review 2020
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