Figure 2.2.4: Asia and the Pacific, change in cropland, 2001–2012
Source: Friedl et al. 2010 Wetlands
Wetlands constitute an important part of land ecosystems in Asia and the Pacific. In 2015, Asia had 302 sites registered with the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, of which Japan has the most, followed by China and India (Ramsar Convention Secretariat 2010). Southeast Asia has about 56 per cent of the world’s tropical peatlands, and 42 per cent of the world’s mangroves is found in South
and Southeast Asia (Gopal 2013) (Figure 2.2.5). The inland wetlands under Ramsar protection constitute 1.4 million hectares in Asia and 0.68 million hectares in the Pacific. The rate of wetland destruction varies geographically, with notable losses in Northeast and Southeast Asia, running at 1.6 per cent per year. In places where aquaculture, over- fishing and storm damage have been severe, the rate of destruction can be as high as 80 per cent.
