The impact of climate change on the earth’s water systems is felt across economies, environments, societies and cultures. Changes in these water systems threaten many ecosystem services on which humans depend. Similarly, land and ecosystems are affected by climate change, including direct effects of droughts, floods, heat waves, and indirect effects on disturbances like wildfires, which can impact on plant and animal productivity and on human-ecosystem interactions. Understanding and responding to these threats is becoming a major focus for governments, industries and civil societies worldwide.