The climate emergency caused by humans is associated with more frequent and extreme heat waves, droughts, and floods. Moreover, humans also increase localized water pollution. Together, these changes negatively affect ecosystems, people, and infrastructure (Gills and Morgan 2020; IPCC 2023). Specifically, freshwater ecosystems, including rivers, lakes, and wetlands, have suffered serious declines in water quality, habitat degradation, and damage to their biodiversity, structure, and functioning (IPBES 2019).
