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Climate Warning as World’s Rivers Dry Up at Fastest Rate For 30 Years

Rivers are drying up at an alarming rate, signaling a global climate emergency that threatens water supplies and ecosystems worldwide. According to new data from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), 2023 saw rivers shrink at the fastest pace in three decades, leaving over half of global river catchment areas with abnormal water deficits. This drying trend, observed over the past five years, is a symptom of the wider climate breakdown that is reshaping the planet’s water cycle.

Major rivers like the Amazon, the Mississippi, and the Ganges are among those suffering from record-low levels. As glaciers melt and rainfall patterns shift unpredictably, water supplies in many parts of the world are being squeezed too much water in some areas, not enough in others. Extreme floods and droughts are becoming the new norm.

The WMO’s State of Global Water Resources report warns that these climate extremes are exacerbated by rising global temperatures. 2023 was not just the hottest year on record; it also marked an erratic transition from La Niña to El Niño, weather phenomena that typically bring wetter or drier conditions depending on the region. But climate change is making the impacts of these natural cycles even harder to predict.

In Asia and Oceania, major river basins like the Mekong and Brahmaputra ran low across vast territories, contributing to widespread water stress. On the other side of the world, parts of North, Central, and South America were gripped by droughts that drastically reduced water levels in key rivers. Meanwhile, other regions, such as the east coast of Africa, New Zealand’s North Island, and the Philippines, faced catastrophic flooding, highlighting the extremes of water-related climate impacts.

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In Europe, however, the UK, Ireland, Finland, and Sweden experienced above-average river discharges, a reminder that while some regions face droughts, others are grappling with too much water. This inconsistency in water availability underscores a core message from the WMO: the world’s water cycle is becoming more erratic and unpredictable.

WMO Secretary General Celeste Saulo put it starkly, saying, “Water is the canary in the coalmine of climate change.” The accelerating hydrological cycle, driven by global warming, is disrupting water resources in ways that are becoming increasingly difficult to manage. Rapid evaporation and soil drying are worsening drought conditions, while a warmer atmosphere, which holds more moisture, is fueling heavy rainfall and flooding.

The stakes are enormous. Currently, 3.6 billion people experience inadequate access to water for at least one month a year, and this figure could rise to more than 5 billion by 2050. Glaciers, a critical source of fresh water, are melting at unprecedented rates. In 2023 alone, the world’s glaciers lost over 600 gigatonnes of water an all time high in 50 years of observations. The European Alps, in particular, have lost 10% of their ice volume in just two years.

Despite the urgency, Saulo stressed that the world still knows too little about the true state of its freshwater resources. “We cannot manage what we do not measure,” she said, calling for more comprehensive monitoring, data-sharing, and cross-border cooperation. Without immediate action to understand and safeguard these vital resources, billions more could face severe water shortages in the years to come. In a world increasingly shaped by climate extremes, this is a wake-up call. The time for action is now.

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source :

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/oct/07/climate-warning-as-worlds-rivers-dry-up-at-fastest-rate-for-30-years

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