Wetland conservation legislations: global processes and China’s practices

Abstract Natural wetland areas in China have experienced a continuous decline over the past two decades, which is partly due to the lack of comprehensive wetland protection laws and regulations. Despite investing over 4.24 billion USD in wetland conservation and restoration since 2000, the deterioration of wetlands persists. This study reviews the development of global wetland protection laws and regulations, analyzes the progress of wetland legislation in China and explores the impact of economic development levels on wetland protection legislation, while also providing an in-depth interpretation of the core elements of the ‘Wetland Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China’. The results indicate that since the late 1940s, wetland protection laws and regulations have begun to emerge, with most developed countries gradually implementing related policies between the 1980s and 1990s; about 71% of wetland protection laws are concentrated in 29 countries, while 69 countries still lack specific wetland protection laws. An analysis of 962 global documents reveals that wetland protection legislation mainly focuses on the protection of water resources, species and ecosystems. China’s wetland legislation started late, with the ‘Wetland Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China’ being officially implemented only in June 2022. Furthermore, the study points out that economic development plays a crucial role in wetland legislation worldwide. Lastly, the article summarizes the key features of the ‘Wetland Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China’, including the improvement of the environmental protection legislative system, increased penalties for illegal occupation of wetlands, clearer protection goals and the assurance of the integrity and connectivity of wetland ecosystems through stringent policies.