Fresh Water

Freshwater ecosystems are essential to life on Earth.

Water is key to life. About 97% of the planet’s water is in the ocean, and less than one percent is freshwater (the remainder is stored in glaciers and polar ice). Throughout our existence, the availability of fresh, clean water has determined the success or failure of the human experiment. But freshwater is also vital to all other forms of life on Earth. Freshwater habitats are home to much of Earth’s biodiversity, including more than 10% of all known animals and about 50% of all known fish species. Freshwater systems are facing extreme risks from climate change and population growth, as well as overconsumption. As a result, many human communities are experiencing more frequent and longer droughts, and freshwater species are declining at an alarming rate of 76%.