85% of Ramsar wetlands in Spain are severely degraded, affecting waterfowl.

Madrid, July 30 (EFE).- Eighty-five percent of the 76 Ramsar Convention wetlands in Spain face serious degradation problems that affect their biodiversity, especially waterfowl, according to a report presented by SEO/BirdLife.

The study, which appears in the final stretch of work at the COP15 Ramsar International Wetlands Conference, being held in Zimbabwe, southern Africa, draws attention to the "critical situation" of internationally renowned Spanish sites such as Doñana National Park, the Ebro Delta, and the Albufera de Valencia.

COP15 highlights the role of wetlands in the sustainability of the planet

According to the conservation NGO, these places, "which have historically hosted hundreds of thousands of migratory waterfowl," are going through a difficult time due to "lack of water, pollution, overexploitation of aquifers, and institutional neglect," among other factors, despite the fact that the Ramsar Convention, to which they are registered, obliges signatory countries to identify, protect, and guarantee "the rational use of the planet's most valuable wetlands."

Plans pending approval

SEO/BirdLife reports that 80% of waterfowl recovery and conservation plans are pending approval, "violating current legislation" and affecting their implementation. This does not include the Balearic Islands and Andalusia, where collective protection actions have been implemented for several species.

According to its data, Spain is home to 40% of wetland-dependent birds in Europe, half of which face conservation issues, placing 90 species at risk.

Of these, according to the criteria of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), nine are classified as endangered and eight as vulnerable.

Added to this problem is the shift northward of the main wintering grounds due to "milder winter temperatures, as a result of climate change, making food more accessible."

"What's at stake is not just biodiversity," said Carlos Dávila, head of the SEO/BirdLife wetlands program, "because wetlands guarantee water, food, employment, and health for millions of people."

Examples

The report highlights the most affected Spanish wetlands, such as Doñana, "a paradigmatic case of the loss of ecological functionality in Mediterranean wetlands," which in 2025 recorded the third-lowest number of waterfowl in the last 25 years.

Another example is the Ebro Delta, which has seen a "sustained decline in duck and coot populations since 2007" due to "saline intrusion, reduced sediment and water flow, agricultural intensification, and the presence of invasive species."

Among the most affected birds is the Spanish coot, endemic to Europe and currently limited to Spanish territory. It is in critical danger of extinction, highlighting the "need to conserve wetlands and establish alliances with North African countries" to promote their conservation.

COP15 will conclude its work this Thursday, July 31, after more than a week in which representatives from governments around the world, along with conservation experts and international organizations, debated the future of these ecosystems under the theme "Protecting wetlands for our common future."