A conversation with WWT London Wetland Centre
Earlier this month marked World Wetlands Day, a reminder that some of the world’s most effective carbon management systems are natural.
We spoke with WWT London Wetland Centre about the role wetlands play in climate resilience, and what long-term thinking really looks like in practice.
And this is what they had to say.
Why do wetlands matter more today than ever before?
WWT:
“Our planet is changing at a dramatic speed. Our cities are overheating, our rivers are sick, and our farmers are struggling to grow our food.
But in this world full of challenges, wetlands offer a wondrous solution. They’re flood-busting, carbon-storing, water-purifying, mood-boosting habitats that give shelter to 40% of the world’s wildlife.”
Wetlands are powerful because they solve more than one problem at once. They store carbon. They support biodiversity. They protect communities from flooding. They give people space to breathe.
What does it really mean when wetlands are called ‘natural buffers’?
WWT:
“While it may seem counterintuitive to add water to spaces that are at risk of flooding, wetlands have amazing systems to naturally ‘buffer’ communities from flood risks that are ever-increasing due to climate change.
Specialist wetland habitats, like saltmarsh for example, have amazing networks of timeworn creeks and thick, springy grasses. This means they absorb tidal energy: slowing water down, trapping it in pools and reducing the wear and tear on manmade flood defences that sit behind them during storms.”
Take saltmarsh. It absorbs tidal energy before it reaches built defences. It slows water down. It reduces pressure. It protects what sits behind it.
It also buries carbon at a rate 40 times faster than forests.
At WWT Steart Marshes, in the first four years after its creation in 2014, an estimated 35,000 tonnes of blue carbon were stored, while also providing flood protection for local communities.
That’s climate mitigation and climate adaptation working side by side.
Why does managing wetlands demand long-term thinking?
WWT:
“Restoring wetlands takes time, they’re natural systems that need careful expertise and management to ensure they maximise the benefits for people and wildlife.
Creating the right conditions for certain species to thrive can take years, even decades, and as our climate shifts and extreme weather events become more common, it’s essential that long-term forecasting is a part of management plans so wetlands can continue to thrive for future generations.”
Healthy ecosystems are built through stewardship, informed, consistent management. Techniques like coppicing help maintain the vegetation structures different species rely on. It’s practical, hands-on, and ongoing.
What can businesses learn from how wetlands function?
WWT:
“Wetlands don’t rush: they play the long game. When flooding happens, they’re able to harness their extraordinary absorption abilities to weather the flow, abilities created over decades, even centuries, of growth and development.”
For businesses navigating transition risk, supply chain pressure and regulatory change, that mindset matters. The organisations that thrive aren’t the ones scrambling in crisis. They’re the ones that have built systems strong enough to absorb it.
Where do wetlands fit into the carbon conversation?
WWT:
“Wetlands store an estimated 20–30% of global soil carbon, despite only covering 6% of land. They also support up to 40% of all plant and animal species. So, focusing on wetlands as a carbon reduction strategy would not only be effective, but have other co-benefits to help support our biodiversity crisis.”
When we talk about carbon reduction, the focus often lands on technology and industry. Both are critical.
But nature is already doing extraordinary work.
Wetlands act simultaneously as carbon stores, biodiversity habitats and natural flood defences.
One message for business leaders this World Wetlands Month?
WWT:
“Protecting and investing in wetlands is an investment in a more resilient future. Wetlands support people, wildlife and the climate at the same time. When we give nature the space and time it needs to thrive, everyone benefits, because when wetlands thrive, so do we.”
Why this matters for business
At Planet Mark, we focus on helping organisations strengthen their long-term resilience.
Wetlands offer a clear example of what that requires: sustained investment, careful management and systems designed to absorb disruption over time. Their ability to store carbon, reduce flood risk and support biodiversity is not accidental. It is the result of long-term planning and stewardship.
For organisations facing climate risk, regulatory change and supply chain pressures, the principle is similar. Resilience is built through deliberate decisions that prioritise durability, adaptability and stability.
If you’re looking to strengthen resilience within your sustainability strategy, speak to our team about what that could look like in practice.
