On land, the loss of natural forests and grasslands not only means a loss of carbon and many of their associated species, but exposes soils to erosion, affecting food production, and can affect the climate by altering the water cycle. Sustainable development, even within hotspots, involves active restoration of natural biodiversity, reducing poaching and trafficking of wildlife , and needs to include agriculture. This includes working to ensure biodiverse soils and supporting healthy pollinator populations. Biodiversity includes not only wild species but also genetic diversity, including crops and wild crop relatives. These wild relatives may contain important genes that could help farmed crops survive better in a changed climate. At least some of these wild relatives come from areas designated as hotspots. In the ocean, sustainable development means reducing pollution, carefully managed aquaculture development, increased protected areas , enforcement of fisheries regulations, and removal of fishery subsidies that perpetuate overfishing within Exclusive Economic Zones and on the High Seas . Generally, the use of freshwaters, rivers, lakes and groundwaters, has not been sustainable and there is a need to restore biodiversity and water quality by eliminating pollution and to better manage abstraction, river flows, fishing and invasive species. Thus, as is the case with land and oceans, climate policies must prioritise the restoration of freshwater biodiversity, and reduction of the current negative impacts of human activities.
IPCC
Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
IPCC Report