Kano State Government has inaugurated a waste management and refuse disposal initiative aimed at transforming the state into a cleaner and more environmental-friendly city.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State
Inaugurating the initiative on Monday, January 13, 2025, along IBB Way within Kano metropolis, the Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Dr Dahiru Hashim, said that only a multi-dimensional approach would address the state’s waste management challenges.
According to him, the state has recognised the effectiveness of a robust waste management system in maintaining the well-being of its citizens.
He said that the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, in collaboration with the transportation and commerce ministries, unveiled the initiative aimed at addressing the waste management challenges across the state.
“A major aspect of the initiative is the introduction of waste disposal bins in commercial vehicles, including buses and tricycles that operate within the state.
“The initiative is designed to encourage commuters to dispose of their waste responsibly while on the move.
“Additionally, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change will install waste disposal bins at motor parks, bus stops, and along major streets across Kano State.
“This move is aimed at promoting responsible waste disposal by road users and commuters.
“The initiative is expected to reduce littering on the streets and ensure that the state’s roads remain clean and presentable,” he said.
Hashim stressed the importance of public participation in achieving the initiative’s goals.
He called on residents, transport operators, market traders and industrialists to adopt responsible waste disposal habits, and actively contribute in order to maintain a clean environment.
The commissioner also highlighted the partnership with the Ministry of Commerce to maintain cleanliness in markets and industrial areas.
He said the ministry would also establish designated waste disposal points in various business districts.
The commissioner emphasised the commitment of Gov. Abba Yusuf of Kano State in ensuring that all businesses in the state contributed to maintaining a clean and healthy environment.
“Another key aspect of this initiative is the reintroduction of street sweepers across the state.
“I am pleased to announce that, within a week of our resumption at the ministry, we have begun paying off the backlog of salaries owed to street sweepers.
“These sweepers would be strategically deployed to key areas in Kano city, including major roads, marketplaces and public spaces.
“They would help to ensure that Kano State remains one of the cleanest in Nigeria,” he said.
Some traders and market leaders, who spoke on the new initiative, expressed gratitude to the state government for “the robust and brilliant initiative.”
They urged market traders to complement government efforts by always keeping the market environment clean.
African heads of state gathered in Kampala, Uganda on Sunday, January 12, 2025, to adopt new agricultural policies aimed at transforming the continent’s food systems, with Kenyan President William Ruto calling for increased investment in farming infrastructure and technology.
President William Ruto of Kenya
The extraordinary African Union summit marked the end of the Malabo Declaration on agriculture, replacing it with the new Kampala Declaration that commits member states to modernising their agricultural sectors.
“This is our moment to commit to a bold and transformative agenda for Africa’s food systems,” Ruto told the assembled leaders.
“Together, we can build a robust and enduring foundation for sustainable agriculture.”
The summit focused on implementing the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), which requires member states to allocate 10% of their national budgets to agriculture and achieve 6% annual growth in the sector.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni highlighted the need to shift from subsistence to commercial farming.
“Uganda has managed to transform its agriculture into a money economy, thus reducing poverty levels,” he said, while proposing to harness the River Congo’s water resources for irrigation in drier regions.
Ruto reported that Kenya has exceeded the AU’s irrigation development targets by 147% since the previous declaration.
He committed to incorporating the new Kampala Declaration into Kenya’s agriculture strategy through 2029.
African Union Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, identified youth disengagement from agriculture and urban migration as key challenges to food production.
The summit drew participation from leaders of Angola, Burundi, Somalia, Sahrawi, and Ethiopia, among others.
As wildfires continue to burn across Southern California, meteorologists are urging families, businesses, emergency officials and fire crews in the region to prepare for gusty winds and an elevated fire threat returning this week.
A burnt neighbourhood in California. Photo credit: Ariana Drehsler for The New York Times
“Winds circulating around an area of high pressure over the Great Basin will produce another round of Santa Ana winds early this week. An area of low pressure off the Pacific Coast will amplify those winds in some of the same areas that were hit hard by the fast-moving, wind-driven infernos,” AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist, Jonathan Porter, said.
Stronger winds will arrive early this week, AccuWeather expert meteorologists said, forecasting 40-60 mph wind gusts in areas prone to Santa Ana winds starting on Monday through Wednesday morning, with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 85 mph.
“Gusty winds in the forecast next week are not expected to be as intense as the windstorm that led to these destructive fires, but we are concerned about another potential extreme fire risk on Monday and Tuesday,” Porter said.
Winds early next week may be more easterly and can behave differently than the powerful northeast winds the region experienced during the windstorm this week. However, they can still cause significant wildfire dangers.
“The wind is carrying wildfire smoke and hazardous particulates in the air that can travel miles away from the fire zone. This unhealthy air quality can trigger asthma and other respiratory issues. Extended exposure to wildfire smoke can lead to serious health problems,” Porter warned. “This is a major public health concern, since millions of people could potentially be exposed to unhealthy air quality through the weekend in the Los Angeles area.”
A continuation of the extremely dry pattern that started back in the spring of 2024 is expected to continue. Los Angeles has not received a quarter of an inch of rain since mid-April last year, a period when downtown L.A. typically receives between 5 and 6 inches of rain.
Catastrophic impacts and staggering damage estimates
AccuWeather experts increased their preliminary estimate for total damage and economic loss from the fast-moving, wind-driven infernos in California to $135 billion to $150 billion on Thursday, January 9, 2025.
“AccuWeather’s preliminary estimate for the total damage and economic loss from the wildfires has increased to a staggering $135 billion to $150 billion. This is a tragic disaster that will be remembered as the most destructive wildfire in California’s modern history, and likely one of the most destructive fires in modern U.S. history,” Porter said. “AccuWeather estimates the total damage and economic loss from these fast-moving, wind-driven infernos will cost nearly 10 times as much as the devastating 2023 wildfires in Maui. AccuWeather experts estimated the total damage and economic loss from the fires in Hawaii at $13 billion to $16 billion.”
Porter says this multi-billion-dollar weather disaster will have impacts and ripple effects that will be felt across the country in the coming months.
“The combined total damage and economic loss estimates for U.S. weather disasters in the past 12 months has reached a staggering $606 billion to $674 billion. We had an incredibly destructive hurricane season, devastating tornado outbreaks, and now a historic wildfire disaster in January. This estimated amount is equivalent to roughly 2.5 percent of the annual gross domestic product of the United States,” Porter said. “These disasters are occurring more frequently, with more families and businesses feeling the direct and harmful impacts.”
Porter says much of the damage and losses have impacted high-risk and vulnerable areas where insurance carriers have been dropping coverage in recent months.
“The insurance crisis in the United States will worsen following the catastrophic damage from these wildfires. Insurance companies are facing tremendous losses, and the rising costs of insurance coverage are impacting people across the country,” Porter said. “This is a clear impact of climate change as we witness the acceleration of extreme weather events. In a world of increasing impacts from extreme weather, and more people living in areas vulnerable to disasters, our country needs to find new ways to solve this complicated insurance crisis.”
Frequent power system collapses in the country need a multifaceted approach, says Prof. Barth Nnaji, former Minister of Power.
Prof. Barth Nnaji
He said this in an interview on Sunday, January 12, 2025, in Lagos.
Nnaji highlighted the need for sufficient spinning reserves and the full implementation of the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system to stabilise the national grid.
Nnaji explained that implementing SCADA would significantly enhance fault detection and line patrols, which are critical in maintaining grid stability.
SCADA, a system that monitors and controls industrial processes, uses a combination of software and hardware to collect, analyse, and display real-time data, and can be operated remotely or on-site.
Nnaji identified several key factors contributing to the recurrent power system failures to include tower vandalism, overgrown vegetation along Right of Way paths and issues such as load imbalance and overload.
He also highlighted the importance of network restructuring and the adoption of an embedded generation model, which would reduce dependence on the grid by distribution companies (DisCos).
“The government should encourage DisCos to explore this option through policies and incentives, including ensuring the availability of gas to commercial and population centers across the country,” he said.
As Chairman of Geometric Power Group, Nnaji outlined several critical measures for improving power transmission, including the regionalisation of the grid.
Nnaji said identified the construction of a supergrid on top of the existing 330KV infrastructure, and the continued expansion of SCADA systems to automatically detect network failures and isolate affected areas.
He also called for the reinstatement of the guarantee instrument created in 2011/2012 to support the private sector’s development of new power plants and the expansion of existing ones.
“Government should insist that DisCos honour the terms agreed upon during privatisation, but it should also incentivise them to perform,” Nnaji advised.
He urged the government to ensure adequate gas production at reasonable costs to support power plants, while re-examining the regulated pricing system to ensure its effective implementation by both producers and regulatory bodies.
Nnaji cautioned against the introduction of new fees by government agencies, which could escalate costs under the guise of regulatory purposes.
“The government must focus on the gas transportation network and the contracting regime to ensure fairness and consistency, preventing any dilution of policies aimed at ensuring the availability of gas to power producers,” he said.
On the challenges faced by DisCos, Nnaji attributed their struggles to a lack of investment, which is compounded by poor creditworthiness.
He noted that the sector is severely underfunded and in need of substantial investment to improve operations.
He further emphasised that prepaid metering could help address the problem of estimated billing and metering gaps.
However, he noted that the Presidential Metering Initiative, though helpful, had been slow in its implementation.
“DisCos must invest in new substations to ensure proper load balancing, as it has been done by Aba Power.
“They must also invest in advanced technologies like Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) to combat energy theft,” Nnaji advised.
According to him, while metering is important, it is not a cure-all for energy theft, as meter tampering by customers remains a persistent issue.
The Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) has applauded the Edo State governor, Mr. Monday Okpebholo, for the appointment of Mr. Collins Edomaruse as his Special Adviser, International Development Partners (IDP).
Collins Edomaruse
President of GOCOP and Publisher of RealNews Online, Ms. Maureen Chigbo, has described Edomaruse’s appointment as a welcome development.
Chigbo, in a press statement by GOCOP Publicity Secretary, Ogbuefi Remmy Nweke, also congratulated Edomaruse for the appointment, assuring of support from over 110 members of GOCOP in carrying out his duties.
Until his appointment, Edomaruse who is a founding member of GOCOP and the Secretary General of the body of reputed online publishers, is also a member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), among others.
Edomaruse doubles as the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of METROWATCH, and has held several senior editorial management positions in THISDAY, including Group News Editor, Group Politics Editor, Deputy Editor, Daily, Saturday and Sunday titles respectively, as well as the Editor, Nation’s Capital/Abuja Bureau.
Also known as “General” because of his mastery of the Defence Beat, his records in THISDAY have reportedly remained unbeaten, where he ranked the best among the editors.
Controversy, confusion and lamentation have trailed the reactions expressed by stakeholders including sachet water dealers and consumers as the Lagos State Government prepares for the total ban on single-use plastics.
Sachet water
They said in separate interview on Sunday, January 12, 2025, in Lagos that the ban would aggravate the already economic hardship being experienced by many in the country.
Mrs. Uchenna Martins, a sachet water dealer, said that she depends on the proceeds from the pure water business to support her husband in fending for the family.
According to her, many traders and hawkers depend on her to source for cold sachet water to sell for motorists and the public, especially during heavy traffic.
“The ban on the single-use plastics, including sachet water, will increase poverty in the land as many of us depend on the sale to feed our families.
“Many housewives depend on the sale of sachet water, especially in places with a dense population, for survival.
“I appeal to the Lagos State Government to rethink their decision in the interest of the poor masses,” Martins said.
Also speaking, Mr. Segun Alabi, a resident of Ayobo, a suburb of Lagos, said since the failure of the public water supply system in Lagos, his family and many Lagos residents depend on sachet water.
Alabi wondered what his family would fall back on when the business of pure water dealers and producers are affected by the ban on single-use plastic.
He noted that a bottle of water, which sells for N200, was completely out of the reach of an average family in Lagos to depend on.
Bayo Olamide, a student, said that his parents depend on sachet water to refill his water container before going to school.
Also, Mr Oghenetega Emubor said that sachet water had been a huge source of relief to commuters in Lagos, especially when stuck in traffic.
“It is unimaginable to be stuck in Lagos traffic and feeling thirsty with dry throat without the relief that a cold sachet water gives,” Emubor said.
Speaking on the impending ban on single use plastic, Mr. Taiwo Adewale, the Managing Director, Waste Exchange, said there was the need for proper awareness and orientation by the government.
Adewale said the government should make it clear to the people the constituent of single use plastic.
“They need to know which is single used, which is banned. Although some are phased out already, like styrofoam.”
He noted that Shoprite, for instance, has phased out nylon bags from all their outlets, while some restaurants and hotels have phased out plastic straw.
“Other single-use such as pure water nylon should be in phases, until alternative and cheaper ones are made available.
“So, the various stakeholders must have a round table discussion on gradual phasing out and not immediate and total ban.
Mr. Friday Oku, the President of the Association of Scraps and Waste Pickers of Lagos, said that the association was in support of the total ban on single use plastics by the state government.
Oku said that, though sachet water nylon was recyclable, it did not add sufficient income to them.
“When you pick it, the volume appear so bulky, it does not add value because there is no weight.
“Our members refuse to pick them based on the reasons above,” Oku said.
He added that the association’s total support to the ban was predicated on the environmental nuisance posed by single use plastic.
Meanwhile, at Justright Superstores, at Iyana ipaja axis, the management had boldly placed signages all over the stores in support of the imminent ban on single use plastic.
They have jingles played in the shop appealing to their customers to comply and come with reusable bags for shopping.
However, Mrs. Bola Olatunji, a dealer of nylon bags and packaging materials at Iyana-Ipaja market said that she was not aware of the imminent total ban on single use plastic by the government.
Meanwhile, Dr Agharese Onaghise, the Executive Secretary of the Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance, declined comments on the issue.
Also, Mrs. Clementina Ativie, the President of the Association of Table Water Producers of Nigeria, refused comments on the development when contacted.
The Lagos State Government recently restated its commitment to the total ban on single use plastic before the end of January during an inspection of drainage channel within the state.
Commissioner for The Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, said this while inspecting flood-prone areas and ongoing projects and new ones at Lagos Island.
Rapid growth in solar and wind power in the Netherlands is driving the country’s efforts to reduce emissions and achieve its long-term energy and climate goals, raising the need to address emerging challenges for the next phase of its clean energy transition, according to the IEA’s new Netherlands 2024: Energy Policy Review.
Aerial view of canals and buildings in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Since 2018, the Netherlands has cut its power sector emissions by half as a result of the deployment of renewable energy, which has been complemented by progress on electrification in end-use sectors such as heating and transport.
However, the report identifies several areas where the Netherlands can focus efforts to further the transformation of its energy sector in line with its goals, notably in expanding and upgrading electricity grids and reducing reliance on natural gas through a range of other low-emissions technologies.
Today, fossil fuels remain an important part of the Netherlands’ energy system for power generation, heating and industrial production. Close to half of electricity generation still comes from natural gas and coal while heating in buildings remains highly dependent on natural gas and the transport sector relies mostly on oil products. A timely and well-targeted transition to low-emissions technologies such as nuclear, renewables, heat pumps and district heating can help reduce fossil fuel imports in key sectors and improve long-term energy security, according to the report.
The Netherlands’ National Energy System Plan aims for electricity supply to grow four-fold by 2050. This means greater deployment of renewables will be required, building on the country’s leadership in solar PV and wind power. For offshore wind, the Netherlands has set ambitious targets to increase installed capacity from around 5 gigawatts (GW) today to 70 GW by 2050. This requires a stable framework for long-term offshore wind development in coordination with the building out of hydrogen production, which is expected to account for a large share of new electricity demand.
In order to meet its targets, the Netherlands will need to address grid constraints to unlock projects awaiting grid connection and attract further investment. The government is already making encouraging efforts to work with industry stakeholders through its National Grid Congestion Action Programme, which aims to address existing bottlenecks faced by new projects. Moreover, energy storage and flexibility will become increasingly important in an electricity system in which variable renewables account for a higher share of supply.
The IEA report highlights that further policy clarity is needed on the role of clean hydrogen in serving the Netherlands’ industrial base. Policies to stimulate demand would also have positive knock-on effects for both renewable energy deployment and emissions reductions. While demand for low-emissions hydrogen is potentially large, not only to meet domestic needs but also to export to other markets, more certainty is required to deliver final investment decisions for electrolyser projects.
Alongside renewables, the Netherlands is looking closely at how nuclear power can complement existing technologies in the energy mix, with plans to expand the current fleet by adding four new reactors. Assessing the contribution that nuclear can make to meeting energy and climate targets will be essential, according to the IEA report, in particular its role in providing flexibility and baseload security for the electricity system in the future.
The IEA regularly conducts reviews of the energy and climate related policies of its member countries and provides recommendations – a process that supports energy policy development and encourages the exchange of international best practices and experiences.
Overall, the IEA report concludes that the Netherlands needs a holistic, system-wide approach to address the interwoven challenges its energy transition is facing. The transition requires a comprehensive strategy with coordination across government and sectors to link ambitions to the realities on the ground and a more equitable distribution of costs and benefits.
The 15th Session of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Assembly convened on Sunday, January 12, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), marking the first international energy meeting of the year. Under the theme “Accelerating the Renewable Energy Transition – The Way Forward”, the two-day meetings will bring together ministers and high-level delegates from IRENA’s 170 Member States, academia, development banks, CEOs and youth to enhance wider, cross-sectoral collaboration on the energy transition.
Delegates at IRENA Assembly
Key discussions are focusing on tripling renewable energy capacity by 2030, enhancing ambition in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0), supporting transitions in emerging economies, and leveraging innovative financial flows in developing countries.
“The world is undergoing rapid transformation, driven by a shifting geopolitical landscape and technological breakthroughs such as Artificial Intelligence,” said IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera. “Amid these changes, renewables must remain a top global priority as the most effective way to keep climate and sustainable development goals within reach. The 15th IRENA Assembly provides a critical platform to navigate the energy transition, explore emerging opportunities, and identify actionable priorities for 2025 and beyond.”
“No country, regardless of its size, can achieve this transition alone. The energy transition is a shared responsibility, requiring unity and collective action,” said Bojan Kumer, Slovenia’s Minister of the Environment, Climate and Energy. “Slovenia firmly believes in the potential for collaboration, as we all face common challenges in achieving a just, inclusive, and competitive energy future and enhancing climate ambition. As the 15th IRENA Assembly President, Slovenia is committed to fostering dialogue and partnerships that unlock the vast potential of renewables, ensuring they remain at the heart of decarbonization efforts worldwide.”
“For 15 years, the UAE has proudly hosted IRENA, providing a global platform for the critical dialogues and collaborations needed to drive the energy transition forward at pace and scale,” said Dr. Amna Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment of the UAE. “As a nation at the forefront of driving this transition, we are committed to leading by example, by investing in renewable energy innovations, advancing smarter grid technologies, and championing solutions to address and overcome the unfolding climate crisis. The 15th IRENA General Assembly is an opportunity to demonstrate the power of international cooperation in shaping a sustainable and resilient future, with the UAE remaining a steadfast partner and catalyst for global energy security and sustainability.”
Given the urgent need for political momentum and international cooperation, several Ministerial and High-level were held on Saturday, on Pre-Assembly Day, January 11, 2025, to facilitate interaction among decision-makers and inform the future work of the Agency.
The 15th IRENA Assembly also kick-starts the 2025 edition of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), taking place from January 12–18 in Abu Dhabi, where heads of state, ministers, high-level delegates, and experts will meet to accelerate the world’s sustainability efforts.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has denied reports of a national grid collapse on Saturday, January 11, 2025, calling the claims inaccurate.
National grid lines
TCN’s General Manager of Public Affairs, Mrs Ndidi Mbah, made the clarification in a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday.
Mbah explained that, earlier on Saturday, at approximately 1:41 p.m., the Osogbo-Ihovour line tripped, followed by the tripping of the Benin-Omotosho line.
She noted that these incidents only affected bulk power supply to the Lagos area.
She further clarified that just before the tripping, total generation on the grid was 4,335.63 Megawatts (MW), and after the trippings, generation dropped to 2,573.23 MW, which indicated the grid did not experience a collapse.
“The transmission line tripping affected Egbin, Olorunsogo, Omotosho, Geregu, and Paras,” Mbah stated.
She added that all had been restored except for the Benin-Omotosho 330kV line, which was still being worked on.
Mbah emphasised that TCN was working hard to build a more robust transmission grid in spite of ongoing challenges.
She also urged caution against the spread of misinformation, stressing the importance of disseminating accurate and verifiable facts.
The largest global assessment of freshwater animals on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species to date has revealed that 24% of the world’s freshwater fish, dragonfly, damselfly, crab, crayfish and shrimp species are at high risk of extinction, according to an analysis published in Nature on Wednesday, January 8, 2025.
A shrimp species
The IUCN co-authored study recommends targeted action to prevent further extinctions and calls for governments and industry to use this data in water management and policy measures.
Catherine Sayer, IUCN’s Freshwater Biodiversity Lead and lead author on the paper, said: “As the IUCN Red List celebrates its 60th anniversary, it is a stronger barometer of life than ever. Lack of data on freshwater biodiversity can no longer be used as an excuse for inaction.
“Freshwater landscapes are home to 10% of all known species on Earth and key for billions of people’s safe drinking water, livelihoods, flood control and climate change mitigation, and must be protected for nature and people alike. The IUCN World Conservation Congress this October will guide conservation for the next four years, as the world works to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets by 2030. This information will enable policy makers and actors on the ground to plan freshwater conservation measures where they are most needed.”
The study, “One quarter of freshwater fauna threatened with extinction”, found that at least 4,294 species out of 23,496 freshwater animals on the IUCN Red List are at high risk of extinction. The greatest number of threatened species are found in Lake Victoria, Lake Titicaca, Sri Lanka’s Wet Zone and the Western Ghats of India, according to the study. These areas are home to some of the highest freshwater biodiversity in the world, including many species found nowhere else on Earth.
Underground water systems around the world have been found to contain more threatened species than expected. For example, North America is home to a high number of threatened crayfish, such as the daisy burrowing crayfish (Fallicambarus jeanae) in Arkansas, which is Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Lakes, oases, and springs are hotspots for extinction. In 2020, fifteen fish species from Lake Lanao in the Philippines were declared Extinct on the IUCN Red List.
Pollution, mainly from agriculture and forestry, impacts over half of all threatened freshwater animals. Freshwater ecosystems are further degraded by land conversion for agricultural use, water extraction and the construction of dams, which also block fish migration routes.
Overfishing and the introduction of invasive alien species have had a particularly strong role in driving extinctions. For example, the carp Squalius palaciosi, last seen in 1999, was declared Extinct this year due to habitat loss through the construction of dams and weirs and the introduction of invasive alien species in southern Spain.
The paper found that although the threatened freshwater animals studied tend to live in the same areas as threatened amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles, they face different threats due to their specific habitats. Conservation action must therefore be targeted to these species.
Dr Rajeev Raghavan, South Asia Chair of the IUCN SSC Freshwater Fish Specialist Group and a co-author on the paper, said: “Although they live side by side in the Western Ghats, conservation action for tigers and elephants will not help the Critically Endangered humpbacked mahseer (Tor remadevii), which is threatened by habitat loss due to river engineering projects and sand and boulder mining, poaching and invasive alien species. Active protection of the river and tributaries where the humpbacked mahseer lives is essential to its survival, in addition to fishing regulations and banning the introduction of further invasive alien species.”
The study also revealed that areas with high water stress (where there is high demand and low supply) and areas with more eutrophication (where an excess of nutrients in the water leads to overgrowth of algae and plants) are not home to higher numbers of threatened species than areas with lower water stress and less eutrophication.
Dr Topiltzin Contreras MacBeath, Co-Chair of the IUCN SSC Freshwater Conservation Committee, said: “This shows that water stress and eutrophication are not good indicators for locating threatened species and should not be used to guide conservation. Instead, it is essential that freshwater species data are actively included in conservation strategies and water use planning and management, to ensure their practices support healthy freshwater ecosystems. Increased investment in measuring and monitoring freshwater species is needed to ensure conservation action and water use planning is based on the latest information.”
Crabs, crayfishes and shrimps are at the highest risk of extinction of the groups studied, with 30% threatened, followed by 26% of freshwater fishes and 16% of dragonflies and damselflies.
The global freshwater fauna assessment is said to be the result of over 20 years of work by more than 1,000 experts from around the world.
Tim Lyons, Director of Conservation at New Mexico BioPark Society, said: “These landmark findings are a rallying cry around freshwater species and the declining habitats that support them. Historically, the important role of freshwaters in safeguarding global biodiversity has been overlooked, and key differences in how these systems should be managed are only now being recognised.
“It is imperative that conservation actors work collaboratively to address the challenges of pollution, shortsighted habitat modification, and the spread of invasive species head on. The solutions to these threats may be novel and innovative, and the data presented here can be used as a roadmap to guide our collective efforts.”
Stephanie Wear, Conservation International senior vice president at the Moore Center for Science, said: “It’s easy to see that freshwater ecosystems have been under extreme stress as drinking water becomes limited, droughts intensify and pollution seeps into these habitats. To learn that a quarter of the world’s freshwater species are at high risk of extinction as a result is a deeply troubling trend. This science shows what we already feared to be true – freshwater ecosystems and the species that live within them need immediate help.
“Most threatened freshwater animals like shrimps, crayfish and crabs are small, living unseen beneath the surface but no matter their size, they are essential for keeping healthy the ponds, lakes and rivers that billions of people rely on. Environmental degradation is a risk to their survival and our own. We must take this news seriously and rather than despair, invest energy and resources into conserving these environments – our health, nutrition, drinking water and livelihoods depend on them.”
Malin Rivers, Head of Conservation Prioritisation at Botanic Gardens Conservation International, said: “This study underscores the urgent situation of freshwater ecosystems, with biodiversity facing significant risk of extinction and requiring immediate conservation intervention. It is important to address the principal threats and take targeted conservation action to mitigate further decline. Safeguarding the broader freshwater habitat, including both animals and plants, is crucial to ensuring the continued provision of essential ecosystem services for those who rely on these landscapes.”
Anne Bowser, CEO of NatureServe, said: “The finding that one quarter of freshwater animals are at risk of extinction is a stark reminder of the urgent challenges we face in protecting biodiversity. This underscores how essential high-quality, accessible data is for identifying at-risk species and taking action to conserve them. By prioritising data-driven strategies, we can make more informed decisions to safeguard freshwater ecosystems and the species they support.”
Chouly Ou, freshwater fish conservation coordinator at Re:wild, said: “Freshwater ecosystems and the species they support are often taken for granted, but they are critical to preventing biodiversity loss and securing livelihoods. As we learn more about species living in freshwater habitats around the world, it’s clear that we need to scale efforts to protect them. Re:wild is a partner of SHOAL, a global alliance dedicated to supporting local partners across the world to prevent the extinction of freshwater species, which is a great example of what scaling conservation efforts could look like.”
Dr Matthew Gollock, ZSL’s Programme Lead for Aquatic Species and Policy, and Chair of the IUCN Anguillid Eel Specialist Group, said: “This report really drives home just how under threat freshwater species are globally as a result of human activities. The good news is, it’s not too late for us to tackle threats such as habitat loss, pollution and invasive species, to ensure our rivers and lakes are in good condition for the species that call them home.”
