AnalysisAustralasiaEnvironment and Climate ChangeFamineFarmingFishingFloodsNature
Polluted, drained, and drying out: new warnings on New Zealand’s rivers and lakes
The latest environmental report on New Zealand’s lakes and rivers reiterates bleak news about the state of freshwater ecosystems, and warns that climate change will exacerbate existing threats.
Almost all New Zealand rivers running through urban and farming areas (95-99%) carry pollution above water quality guidelines, while most of the nation’s wetlands (90%) have been drained, and many freshwater fish species (76%) are threatened or at risk.
- Troy Baisden
- The Conversation
The most significant pressures on freshwater ecosystems fit into…