UPDATE: The global water cycle is now classified as “increasingly erratic and extreme,” according to a groundbreaking report released by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on October 12, 2023. This alarming shift has led to unprecedented swings between catastrophic droughts and devastating floods, posing significant risks to economies and societies worldwide.
The WMO’s annual State of Global Water Resources report highlights that nearly two-thirds of global river basins experienced abnormal conditions in the past year, grappling with either severe drought or excessive flooding. In 2024, the planet recorded its hottest year ever, which exacerbated the situation. Regions such as the Amazon faced record low river levels, while parts of Southern Africa declared extreme droughts, prompting governments to cull hundreds of animals, including elephants.
In the United States, the agricultural heartlands of Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas saw crops wither under relentless heat. The report indicates that hot temperatures have also led to degraded water quality in nearly all of the world’s 75 major lakes.
Despite these drought conditions, the report reveals an alarming trend: floods were more frequent than ever before. “We observed multiple floods, and even more floods than in other years,” stated Stefan Uhlenbrook, lead author of the report and director of hydrology at the WMO. Europe faced its worst flooding since 2013, while devastating floods from Hurricane Helene resulted in at least 230 fatalities in the US. In West and Central Africa, flooding claimed around 1,500 lives.
The icy landscapes are not exempt from this crisis. The world’s glaciers have suffered significant losses for the third consecutive year, with an alarming 450 gigatons of ice melted—enough to fill 180 million Olympic swimming pools. Regions including Scandinavia, the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, and north Asia reported record glacial melts. This melting poses dire implications for rising sea levels and increased flooding risks, threatening nations reliant on glaciers for essential resources like power, irrigation, and drinking water.
Quantifying the total economic impact of such extreme water cycle changes is challenging, but Uhlenbrook notes that individual flood events last year resulted in billions of dollars in damages. He warns that the shifting availability of water resources can escalate tensions and conflicts globally.
Celeste Saulo, WMO Secretary-General, emphasized the critical importance of water: “Water sustains our societies, powers our economies, and anchors our ecosystems.” She lamented that while the world grapples with these challenges, water resources are under growing pressure and extreme water-related hazards increasingly threaten lives and livelihoods.
As the situation continues to evolve, the world must prepare for the ongoing impacts of climate change on water resources. Stay tuned for further updates on this urgent global issue.
