School of GeoSciences researcher supports development of a new global map to help protect the world’s lakes

This news story was originally published on the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology website: view original story

Dr Elise Gallois in the School of GeoSciences has been part of the development team for a new interactive platform known as the Global Lakes Explorer - an interactive map showing how nutrient pollution and climate pressures are affecting more than 40,000 lake catchments worldwide.

The Global Lakes Explorer, helps scientists, policymakers, educators, and the public to explore where nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen are entering lakes and how this pollution may change in the future. The tool was developed through an international initiative funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and led by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) in collaboration with global research partners.

The importance of lakes

Lakes are essential for people and nature. They provide drinking water, support wildlife, regulate the climate, and sustain fisheries and livelihoods. However, many lakes are increasingly threatened by pollution and biodiversity in freshwater is declining faster than in any other ecosystem on Earth, making lakes and rivers some of the most threatened environments globally.

One of the greatest pressures comes from excess nutrients, especially phosphorus and nitrogen. These are widely used in fertilisers and are essential for food production. But when too many nutrients run off the land or enter rivers and lakes through wastewater discharges, they can cause serious environmental and economic damage.

High nutrient levels can trigger ‘algal blooms’, where blue-green bacteria grow rapidly and cover the surface of the water. These blooms can be toxic to animals and humans and can create de-oxygenated ‘dead zones’ that harm fish and other wildlife.

Nutrient pollution is becoming an increasing concern in many parts of the world, including in the UK. Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland, the largest freshwater lake in the British Isles, has recently experienced severe algal blooms linked to excess nutrients entering the water.

Large lakes such as Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika and Lake Malawi in East Africa, the ancient Lake Baikal in Siberia, Lake Toba in Indonesia and smaller freshwater systems in Patagonia are globally recognised for their remarkable aquatic biodiversity.

Some of these lakes have persisted for millions of years, allowing unique species to evolve that exist nowhere else on Earth. But increasing pollution and a rapidly changing climate now threaten these ecosystems, highlighting the urgent need to protect freshwater habitats.

The Global Lakes Explorer platform – information on more than 40,000 of the world’s biggest lake catchments

The Global Lakes Explorer brings together large amounts of environmental data to help reveal where these risks are greatest, and how changes in societal behaviour will shape the future. The platform combines open datasets covering agriculture, wastewater, aquaculture and other human activities that influence nutrient pollution. It displays information for more than 40,000 of the world’s biggest lake catchments worldwide, allowing users to explore patterns at local, national and global scales.

UKCEH Data Scientist Philip Taylor, development team lead, said, “Blind spots have long been a problem in environmental monitoring, leaving biodiversity and societies exposed to pollution. This new map harnesses data from remote sensing and predictive modelling to shed light on these risks. The tool is already being used by countries to better understand how exposed their lakes are to these threats and what can be done to protect them.” 

“The strength of the Global Lakes Explorer lies in its interoperability, and data sharing capability,” said Ivar Ledezma of UNEP, Bolivia. “By bringing together lake data from multiple sources into a unified platform, it allows diverse environmental datasets to work together in ways that were previously difficult. This helps bridge science and policy by transforming complex information into practical knowledge that enables decision-makers to respond more effectively to pressures on lake ecosystems and freshwater biodiversity worldwide.”   

Access the Global Lakes Explorer

Related links

Global Environment Facility (GEF)

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH)