You can find lakes all over the world, usually freshwater, sometimes salty, some of them spanning thousands of square kilometers, others no larger than a few football fields. They are cradles for diverse life forms and human civilizations, but have been badly affected by a combination of over abstraction, pollution and climate change. That's why Member States are keen to see the United Nations Environment Assembly resolution on Sustainable Lake Management of March 2022 implemented as quickly and as fully as possible.

On this portal you can learn about the diversity of lake ecosystems, why they are vital for human development and planetary health, the interlinked threats they face, find tools and other resources and more information on initiatives that UNEP, partners and you can undertake to help conserve, protect, and restore them to their former glory.