Running dry: Freshwater biodiversity, protected areas and climate change

Abstract

Freshwater biodiversity is in significant decline and existing conservation strategies have not stemmed the loss to date. The damage is due to growing threats from traditional pressures and now the direct impacts of climate change, as well as from human responses to climate change. A suite of tools is required to address these threats, and one of these - protected areas - has been underutilized and poorly applied to freshwater conservation. We outline how the effectiveness of investments in maintaining and improving the resilience of freshwater systems within protected area systems for conserving freshwater biodiversity can be enhanced. Measures for better protected area network design and management, and for restoration of connectivity required to build resilience are summarized. Strategies for aiding societal adaptation to climate change through protected area establishment in a river basin context are also proposed. We conclude with a call to ensure that climate change mitigation and adaptation policies better integrate conservation objectives to avoid more serious impacts on freshwater biodiversity.