In microsite "Rivers of Food" we show that approximately one-third of world's food supply is supported by rivers
rivers-of-food.panda.org

Aha! I see what you did there!

PS: Many thanks to co-authors Laurenne Schiller, @sjcfishy.bsky.social, Eugenio Barrios Ordonez, Ute Collier, James Dalton, Ian Harrison, Li Lifeng, Sui Chang Phang & Bill Young.

(14/n) Local action to restore of #rivers, #lakes & #wetlands is critically important for lots of reasons.

But unless we start to redirect the underlying policy & business drivers of ecosystem degradation, we won't bend the curve of global freshwater biodiversity loss.

ENDS.

(13/n) Govts & businesses urgently need coherent, evidence-based, pithy insights on how to respond to increasingly complex challenges.

The way in which conservation researchers & practitioners respond will largely determine the future for freshwater ecosystems.

(12/n) That community is often insular & narrowly focused on biophysical sciences (ecology, hydrology, geomorphology).

Freshwater scientists should engage far more with social sciences to generate understanding of policy-business-ecosystem links & to map future pathways.

(11/n) Happily, some work is happening in this space, notably through the water #stewardship community, and through work of NGOs and others who engage in policy processes.

But it's patchy. Far more is needed.

And the #freshwater sciences community needs to catch-up quickly...

(10/n) If conservationists are to influence these drivers, they need to make the case for bending the curve in terms that chime with the priorities of policymakers & business leaders in these sectors.

Our paper describes those priorities, and potential implications for freshwater biodiversity.

(9/n) We drew on our collective experience in research, policy & conservation practice to suggest key policy/business sectors for freshwater biodiversity.

We particularly focused on #water resource management, #agriculture & #food, #energy, & inland #fisheries.

(8/n) If we want more transformative change that minimises pressures globally and makes space for healthy freshwater ecosystems, we must understand & influence policy/business decisions that drive widespread collapse of biodiversity.

So, what could this look like?

(7/n) Almost all the articles focused mostly on immediate pressures affecting freshwater ecosystems & biodiversity.

Similarly, most restoration projects tackle immediate local/catchment scale pressures rather than underlying drivers (more on this here: unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/p...)

(6/n) We reviewed 16 science articles that analysed causes of freshwater biodiversity loss globally.

None of them systematically assessed these underlying socio-economic drivers.

Few explicitly linked biodiversity trends & changes in national/international policies or business behaviour.

(5/n) Activities driving biodiversity loss often manifest through decisions made at national or international scales by policymakers & business leaders.

Energy ministers incentivise hydropower generation.

Multinational food congomerates source farm produce from water-stressed regions.

Etc.

(4/n) Multiple pressures - hydrological alteration, pollution, impaired connectivity, invasive species, over-harvesting, climate change, etc - affect freshwater ecosystems.

All these pressures (aka threats, stressors) are driven by various human activities.

So far, so uncontroversial.

(3/n) ... indicators of global freshwater biodiversity continue to show a dramatic collapse.

So, is habitat restoration enough?

Our paper, published in @envreviews.bsky.social, suggests that the answer is "no".

Let me explain...

(2/n) Like many folks, I'm inspired by the thousands of brilliant #river, #lake & #wetland restoration projects underway globally.

From the Amazon to the Zambezi, dams are being removed, flows secured, pollution reduced & fisheries better managed.

But...