Climate change and sustainable development

The issue of climate change is closely linked to other environmental issues, and to the challenge of sustainable development itself. Changes in temperature and precipitation may adversely affect freshwater availability and quality in many areas. Climate change could also aggravate current problems of biodiversity loss and desertification. On the other hand, local and regional air pollution, land degradation, and changes in forest cover could affect climate by changing the sources and sinks of greenhouse gases, and the extent to which solar radiation is absorbed or reflected. Many strategies for sustainable development, such as afforestation, adoption of renewable energy, energy conservation, phasing out ozone depleting substances, etc are also the means of mitigating climate change.