Read the given passage and answer the question that follows.
Wetlands, the most economically valuable and among the most biodiverse ecosystems in the world, are disappearing three times faster than forests which will lead to severe consequences. Approximately 35 per cent of the world’s wetlands were lost between 1970 2015 with annual rates of loss accelerating from 2000, according to the first-ever Global Wetland Outlook of the Ramsar Convention, a global treaty ratified by 170 countries to protect wetlands and promote their wise use. Wetlands, which include lakes, rivers, marshes and peatlands as well as coastal and marine areas such as estuaries, lagoons, mangroves and coral reefs, are currently estimated to cover more than 12.1 million km2, an area greater than Canada.
Wetlands contribute to climate regulation and support ecosystems and biodiversity. Plants in swamps absorb pollutants, mangroves store carbon, lakes and underground aquifers are a crucial source of water, and coral reefs protect coastlines from wave action and serve as shelter for marine organisms. Wetlands are home to indigenous peoples and a natural source of livelihoods for their communities. They provide drinking water, energy, fisheries, agriculture, transport, recreation, cultural values and tourism. While human-made wetlands - largely rice paddy and reservoirs - have almost doubled between 1970 and 2015, natural wetlands have been progressively declining. Losses have been driven by megatrends such as climate change, population increase, urbanisation, and changing consumption patterns that have all fuelled changes to land and water use and to agriculture. Increasing pollution and land overuse significantly affect wetlands’ water quality. This impacts the livelihoods of communities living near wetlands. Untreated wastewater, industrial waste, agricultural runoff and erosion can severely compromise the water by escalating the levels of nitrogen, phosphorous, salinity and faecal coliform bacteria. The main international efforts to promote the conservation and prudent use of wetlands are through the secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands, an intergovernmental treaty adopted in Ramsar, Iran in 1971. 170 countries - or almost 90 per cent of UN member states - from all regions have become Contracting Parties of the treaty.
Select the most appropriate ANTONYM of the given word.
Fuel