Wetlands are among West Bengal’s most vital yet most vulnerable ecosystems. From the East Kolkata Wetlands and the Sundarbans to countless riverside floodplains, marshes, and village ponds, they support biodiversity, livelihoods, food systems, and climate resilience. Yet, despite their importance, wetlands across the state continue to face growing pressure from unplanned urbanisation, pollution, encroachment, climate change, and complex institutional coordinaton.

Voices for Wetlands emerges as a response to this challenge, grounded in a simple but powerful idea: wetland conservation can only be effective when communities who depend on these ecosystems are active partners. The initiative attempts to integrate community knowledge, bridge gaps between research and practice, and foster dialogue between local custodians, educators, civil society organisations, and policymakers.

As the first milestone of this initiative, The Climate Thinker, in collaboration with Asar Social Impact Advisors, will launch a Digital Wetland Knowledge and Community Platform on 2 February 2026 in Kolkata. Designed as a living, participatory space, the platform will document wetlands across West Bengal through maps, stories, photographs, and field insights; archive community knowledge and traditional practices; share research and policy-relevant resources in accessible formats; and connect diverse stakeholders working on wetland conservation.

The launch event is structured as a listening and dialogue-oriented gathering rather than a ceremonial programme. It will bring together community representatives from wetland- dependent regions, educators, researchers, civil society actors, and government officials. The programme will feature reflections from community members, perspectives from educators and researchers, and a panel discussion focused on aligning ecological conservation with social and economic realities.

This event hopes to initiate a sustained engagement process aimed at advancing inclusive, evidence-informed, and conflict-sensitive approaches to wetland conservation in West Bengal.