The United Nations meteorological agency, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), has issued a stark warning in its State of Global Water Resources report for 2022. The report reveals that the Earth’s hydrological cycle is becoming increasingly imbalanced due to the impacts of climate change. In response to this alarming trend, the WMO is calling for a fundamental policy shift towards better monitoring of global water resources.
The Unprecedented Imbalance
As climate change continues to intensify, the world is witnessing dramatic shifts in the hydrological cycle. This imbalance is manifesting in two extreme ways:
- Heavier Precipitation and Flooding: The report highlights a significant increase in heavy precipitation episodes and associated flooding. Rising global temperatures have led to more water vapor in the atmosphere, causing extreme rainfalls in various regions. This has resulted in devastating floods in countries such as Pakistan, where over 1,700 lives were tragically lost.
- More Evaporation, Droughts, and Dry Soils: On the flip side, climate change is also causing more evaporation, leading to drier soils and the exacerbation of drought conditions in various parts of the world. This dual phenomenon, where some areas face excess water and others face water scarcity, highlights the pressing need for comprehensive water resource management.
Challenges to Monitoring
One of the critical issues raised by the WMO is the insufficient knowledge about the actual state of the world’s freshwater resources. Insufficient monitoring and data collection make it challenging to manage and address these global imbalances. The WMO emphasizes that we cannot effectively manage what we do not adequately measure.
Regional Examples: China’s Yangtze River and Floods in Pakistan
The report provides specific examples of the impact of this water cycle imbalance. China’s Yangtze River, one of the world’s largest rivers, is experiencing deviations from its normal river discharge conditions, with dryer than normal periods. This has profound implications for water supply and ecosystems in the region.
In contrast, Pakistan faced catastrophic floods that claimed over 1,700 lives in the previous year. These devastating events illustrate the life-threatening consequences of extreme precipitation and the increasing unpredictability of the global water cycle.
The Call for Better Monitoring and Policy Shift
The WMO’s State of Global Water Resources report underscores the urgency of addressing these imbalances in the global water cycle. To effectively mitigate the impacts of climate change on water resources, the organization calls for a fundamental policy shift towards improved monitoring and data collection.
