As global conservation and restoration policies focus on a land and sea framework, freshwater biodiversity and services continue to decline at alarming rates (1). If freshwater ecosystems are overlooked, their sustainability could be compromised when decision-makers evaluate trade-offs with land and sea conservation and development goals. To protect freshwater biodiversity and vital services, international agreements must explicitly acknowledge freshwater ecosystems as a unique realm and set specific goals to address their problems (2, 3).
