Image description: Aerial shot of the Amazon river. Severe drought hit the Amazon basin, peaking from July to September. Photo by Ivars Utināns on Unsplash
Two thirds of the world’s river basins experienced abnormal conditions last year as the climate crisis drove extremes of drought and flood, sometimes both in the same region.
In a report from the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), titled ‘State of Global Water Resources 2024’, scientists warn the increasingly erratic water cycle is creating big problems for societies and governments and causing billions of dollars in damage.
Extreme weather
It was the sixth consecutive year of clear imbalance, the WMO said in it report, as the majority of rivers ran either dryer or wetter than usual, compared with the 1991-2020 average.
Last year was the hottest on record, with the mean surface temperature reaching 1.55C above preindustrial levels. Meanwhile severe drought hit the Amazon basin, peaking from July to September, while dry conditions also afflicted parts of North America, southern and south-eastern Africa and Mexico.
Central Europe, Russia, Pakistan and northern India were among the areas hit by deluges, according to the WMO’s report. In Africa, flooding in the tropical zone killed about 2,500 people and left 4 million people displaced, with widespread damage to vital infrastructure such as roads. Severe floods hit the south of Brazil, even while the Amazon parched.
Glaciers across all regions lost ice mass for the third consecutive year, with record losses in Svalbard, Scandinavia and north Asia. The losses were equivalent to about 1.2mm of sea level rise.
Billions of dollars in damages
The disturbance to natural water cycles has resulted in food scarcity, poor crop yields and rising prices, with some hard-hit regions already experiencing tensions and migration. Stefan Uhlenbrook, the director of the hydrology, water and cryosphere division of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), said: “This is existential for some regions.”
The Financial Times reports that Europe had its most extensive flooding since 2013, causing insurers to estimate they would face up to €3bn in claims.
Recommended course of action for governments
The report’s authors warned that governments were failing to act on the issues. “This is not getting sufficient political attention. Investments in preparation pay back for society. Governments should see this as a valuable investment,” said Uhlenbrook.
In order to reduce the impact of the extreme swings in the water cycle, governments would need to implement a variety of measures: reducing greenhouse gas emissions rapidly; improving water storage by building reservoirs or restoring wetlands that act as sponges to retain water for use in droughts and reduce the impact of flooding; and encouraging changes to farming techniques to reduce water usage.
Early warning systems can also safeguard lives when severe weather hits and cooperation among governments can improve preparation.