Abstract
Wetlands are the world's largest reservoirs of carbonaceous organic matter. They help mitigate extreme climatic phenomena (floods and droughts), purify water and preserve biodiversity. However, 85% of wetlands have been lost in 300 years, and they continue to disappear three times faster than forests. Since the 1970s, an additional problem has been highlighted: the number of invasive alien species in wetlands and aquatic environments has increased by 70%. This is one of the five factors responsible for the decline in biodiversity.
According to the 2018 World Water Development Report, "working with nature, not against it, would preserve natural capital and support a circular economy" using resources efficiently but sustainably. Nature-based solutions can be both viable and provide environmental, social and economic benefits. Recent technologies reconciling ecological solutions and sustainable chemistry valorization will be presented. A few demonstrative examples will illustrate the value of such approaches.
