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WMO Report: Global River Flows Hit Record Lows in 2023

“Global Water Crisis: Record Low River Flows and Glacial Melting Threaten Water Security”

Boats sit side by side in a narrow, drought-stricken Amazon riverbed in Parintins, Brazil on Nov. 8, 2023, painting a stark picture of the impact of climate change on water resources around the world. According to the State of Global Water Resources 2023 report coordinated by the United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization (WMO), last year marked the driest for rivers globally in 33 years.

The world’s river flows fell to record lows in 2023, as extreme heat endangered crucial water supplies in a time of increasing demand. WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo emphasized the urgent need for action to protect these reserves, stating that water is becoming the most telling indicator of our climate’s distress.

For the past five years, river flows worldwide have recorded below-normal conditions, leading to reduced water supplies for communities, ecosystems, and agriculture. The report also highlighted the unprecedented mass ice loss experienced by glaciers over the past 50 years, with all regions on Earth with glaciers reporting ice loss in 2023.

Glaciers in western North America and the European Alps, particularly in Switzerland, have suffered significant losses, with Switzerland’s glaciers losing about 10% of their remaining volume in just two years. The world’s glaciers experienced 600 gigatons of water loss from extreme melting, marking the worst in five decades of observations.

The impact of rising temperatures was evident in the widespread dry conditions and prolonged droughts experienced last year, which were exacerbated by the planet transitioning from La Niña to El Niño mid-year. The report also noted a notable number of floods globally, influenced by human-caused climate change.

Currently, 3.6 billion people face inadequate water access for at least one month each year, a number projected to increase to over five billion by mid-century. The planet is not on track to meet its Sustainable Development Goal on water and sanitation, highlighting the urgent need for action to address water scarcity and quality issues.

Despite increases in observational data sharing, regions like South America, Africa, and Asia remain underrepresented in monitoring and data collection efforts. WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo emphasized the importance of improved monitoring, data-sharing, and cross-border collaboration to better understand and manage the world’s freshwater resources.

As the world grapples with the escalating water crisis, urgent action is needed to address the growing challenges posed by climate change and water scarcity. The time to act is now to ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.

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