Accelerating environmental flows implementation to bend the curve of global freshwater biodiversity loss

Environmental flows (e-flows) aim to mitigate the threat of altered hydrological regimes in river systems and connected waterbodies are an important component integrated strategies address multiple threats freshwater biodiversity. Expanding accelerating implementation e-flows can support conservation help restore biodiversity resilience hydrologically water-stressed rivers ecosystems. While there have been significant developments science, assessment societal acceptance, within water resources management has slower than required geographically uneven. This review explores critical factors that enable successful outcomes particular, drawing on 13 case studies literature. It presents as adaptive cycle enabled by 10 factors: legislation governance, financial human resourcing, stakeholder engagement co-production knowledge, collaborative monitoring ecological social-economic outcomes, capacity training research, exploration trade-offs among users, removing or retrofitting infrastructure facilitate connectivity, adaptation climate change. Recognising may be barriers limitations full effective enablement each factor, authors identified corresponding options generalizable recommendations for actions overcome prominent constraints, wider The urgency addressing flow-related loss demands networks train empower a new generation practitioners equipped with latest tools insights lead environmental globally. Mainstreaming planning, resource (IWRM), restoration adaptations change, is imperative. policy drivers associated funding commitments Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework offer crucial opportunities achieve benefits contributed nature-based solutions (NBS), such flood risk management, floodplain fisheries increased