INTRODUCTION

   The ?nexus? among water, food and energy has been recognized as one of the most fundamental relationships and challenges for society. Biodiversity and particularly wetland ecosystems are increasingly understood to be at the core of this nexus. Indeed, water and wetlands are the foundation for the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of humanity across the globe. The recognition of the value of water and wetlands and integration into decision-making to ensure their wise use are, therefore, essential to meet our future social, economic and environmental needs. Wetlands are areas where water covers the soil, or is present either at or near the surface of the soil all year or for varying periods of time during the year, including during the growing season. They include mangroves, peatlands and marshes, rivers and lakes, deltas, floodplains and flooded forests, rice-fields, and even coral reefs. Wetlands exist in every country and in every climatic zone, from the polar regions to the tropics, and from high altitudes to dry regions and on every continent except Antarctica. Wetlands vary widely because of regional and local differences in soils, topography, climate, hydrology, water chemistry, vegetation and other factors, including human disturbance. Two general categories of wetlands are recognized: coastal or tidal wetlands and inland or non-tidal wetlands. Wetlands provide ecological infrastructure that typically deliver a wider range of services and benefits than corresponding man-made infrastructure. Wetlands are an important, poorly understood, complement to build infrastructure in watershed planning efforts. Ensuring the maintenance and enhancement of the benefits of water and wetlands is, therefore, a key element in a transition to a green economy.

            IMPORTANCE OF WATER AND WETLANDS     

Water and wetland related ecosystem services; Biodiversity and ecosystems provide a range of services which benefit people, society and economy at large. The intrinsic value of biodiversity and ecosystems is of significance for many cultural services while the direct and indirect use values are fundamental for sustaining people?s livelihoods and for many parts of the economy from local to global. Many of these ecosystem services are related to water, including water provision, water purification and waste water treatment, groundwater replenishment and water regulation, including the regulation of extreme events such as floods and droughts. v Water and wetland is critical to sustain the water cycle. Water and wetland plays a fundamental role in local and global water cycles (Ramsar, 1971), and a loss of biodiversity can compromise these water cycles, leading to major impacts on people, society and the economy. In turn, water cycles are of paramount importance to biodiversity and to the functioning of essentially all terrestrial and coastal ecosystems. Without wetlands the water cycle would be significantly altered, and usually detrimentally. Wetlands help regulate the water cycle, including providing a natural water source for direct human uses and as wastewater treatment systems for many towns and cities. Wetlands are some of the most important biodiversity rich areas and provide habitat for many animals. They act as carbon sinks, provide protection from floods and storms and regulate sediment transport and thereby contribute to land formation and coastal zone stability. Other key ecosystem services from wetlands include: nutrient retention and cultural values, recreation & tourism, climate regulation locally and globally.

      IMPACTS OF WATER AND WETLANDS DEGRADATION ON HUMAN WELL-BEING AND BIODIVERSITY

   The loss of water and wetlands can lead to significant losses of human wellbeing and biodiversity, as well as associated loss of ecosystem services with economic impacts on business, communities and countries. Loss of the ecosystem services from water and wetlands can also disproportionately affect the poor. Example in Cameroon include; The reduction in natural floodwaters, due to the large irrigation rice scheme build in 1979, led to significant impacts on biodiversity, ecosystems and human populations around Waza floodplain in Cameroon.

               STATUS AND TRENDS OF WATER AND WETLANDS The global extent of wetlands is estimated to be in excess of 1.2 million square kilometers, but this is an underestimate (MA, 2005b). Since 1900, the world has lost around 50 per cent of its wetlands (UNWWAP, 2003). Coastal wetland loss in some places is running at 20 per cent a year (Agardy et al, 2005). Taking mangroves as an example, 20 per cent (3.6 million hectares) of total coverage has been lost since 1980 (FAO, 2007); however, this figure rises to 80 per cent in some countries due to conversion for aquaculture, over-exploitation and storm damage (MA, 2005a). THREATS TO WATER AND WETLANDS The major threats include the urbanization and anthropogenic pressure some of which include; Agricultural activities; these are biggest threats to wetland since farmer?s drain and farm in wetland due to its fertility and availability of water all year round. Hundreds of thousands of hectares of wetlands have been drained for agriculture. Pollution; this is growing concern in wetland areas, affecting drinking water sources and biological diversity. Drainage and run off from fertilized crops and pesticides used in agriculture introduce nitrogen and phosphorous nutrients and other toxins like mercury to water sources. These chemicals can affect the health and reproduction of species posing a serious threat to biological diversity. Over exploitation of wetland resources; increasing human population and change from subsistence to commercial exploitation of wetlands resources continue to exert pressure on limited wetland resources resulting into its decline. Industrial activities; this threat comes from draining wetlands for establishing industrial sites also industrial activities are threats to wetlands because of dumping of industrial wastes to wetlands. Reclamation of wetlands for construction and agricultural activities Tourism; many tourist activities taking place in wetlands have led to draining of these wetlands so as to establish tourist facilities like hotels or camping sites. Climatic change; increase in temperature are causing polar ice to melt and sea level to rise. This in turn is leading into shallow wetlands being submerged and some species of mangrove trees being submerged and drowned. Yet at the same time other wetlands such as estuaries, flood plain and marshes are being destroyed through drought. CONCLUSION Water-related ecosystem services and wetlands are being degraded at an alarming pace due to the ever increasing human population pursing pressure on the limited natural resources. Loss and degradation of water and wetlands have an enormous social and economic impact (e.g. increased risk of floods, decreased water quality in addition to impacts on health, cultural identity, and on livelihoods).