2023: The Driest Year for Global Rivers in Three Decades, Reports UN
The UN weather agency reports 2023 as the driest year for the world’s rivers in over 30 years, indicating severe droughts influenced by record temperatures. The report highlights that about 3.6 billion people lack adequate water access, expected to rise to 5 billion by 2050, emphasizing the need for improved water management and data collection due to the impacts of climate change.
The year 2023 has emerged as the driest year for rivers across the globe in over three decades, as reported by the United Nations weather agency. This unprecedented dryness has been exacerbated by record-high temperatures, leading to a significant reduction in water flows and prolonged drought conditions in various regions. WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo highlighted that “water is the canary in the coalmine of climate change,” indicating that shifts in water availability signal broader climatic issues. Rising temperatures have rendered the hydrological cycle increasingly erratic, resulting in both excessive droughts and floods. The publication titled “State of Global Water Resources 2023” provides a comprehensive analysis of not only rivers but also lakes, reservoirs, groundwater, soil moisture, terrestrial water storage, snow cover, glaciers, and evaporation phenomena. Alarmingly, the report notes that approximately 3.6 billion individuals lack reliable access to fresh water for at least one month annually, a number that is projected to escalate to 5 billion by 2050. Additionally, it was reported that around 70% of water extracted from hydrological systems is utilized in agricultural practices. This year has also broken records for high temperatures, with summer 2023 designated as the hottest on record, raising concerns of potential continued trends into 2024. Stefan Uhlenbrook, director of hydrology, water, and cryosphere at WMO, remarked that in the past 33 years, there had never been such a vast expanse of the world experiencing dry conditions simultaneously. Droughts were particularly severe across the southern United States, Central America, and countries in South America, including Argentina, Brazil, Peru, and Uruguay. The report marked unprecedented low water levels in the Amazon and Lake Titicaca, as well as in the Mississippi River basin, further affirming the widespread impact of dry conditions.
The report issued by the WMO sheds light on the critical impact of climate change on global water resources, particularly in terms of river systems. Increased global temperatures have disrupted weather patterns, leading to an unpredictable water cycle that manifests as both droughts and floods. The implications of these changes are profound, not only for ecosystems but also for the livelihoods of billions of people dependent on accessible water supplies. Acknowledging the scale and urgency of the crisis, the report emphasizes the necessity for enhanced data collection and management to effectively respond to the impending water scarcity.
In summary, the WMO’s report for 2023 underscores the extensive drought conditions affecting global river systems, signaling a dramatic decline in water availability exacerbated by climate change. Given that billions of people are projected to face increasing water shortages in the coming years, urgent action is essential to address these water crises and to implement sustainable management practices. Enhanced data collection and cooperation among nations will be imperative as the world confronts these pressing challenges.
Original Source: www.washingtonpost.com
