Wetlands are ecosystems like lakes, rivers, marshes and peatlands, as well as coastal marine areas including mangroves and coral reefs.
The experts say wetlands work as a giant sponge that soaks up and stores extra rainfall and water from storm surges.
Conservation of these water bodies in urban areas was the focus of an international meeting on wetlands that concluded in Dubai on Monday.
Disappearing wetlands
The warning follows an alarming recent report that the world's wetlands are disappearing three times faster than forests.
The recent study by the global wetland convention found that nearly 35% of the world's wetlands were lost between 1970 and 2015.
Latin America has seen the highest rate of loss - nearly 60% in that period - while Africa lost 42%, according to the report.
Read the full report at the link below
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