Global study shows freshwater is disappearing at alarming rates
9 months ago
- #water security
- #groundwater depletion
- #climate change
- Earth's continents have experienced unprecedented freshwater loss since 2002 due to climate change, unsustainable groundwater use, and extreme droughts.
- Four continental-scale 'mega-drying' regions have emerged, all in the Northern Hemisphere, threatening water security, agriculture, and global stability.
- Drying areas on land are expanding at a rate twice the size of California annually, with dry areas getting drier faster than wet areas are getting wetter.
- 75% of the world’s population lives in countries losing freshwater, with groundwater depletion contributing more to sea-level rise than melting ice sheets.
- A tipping point around 2014–15 accelerated continental drying, with groundwater use increasing and drying regions shifting from the Southern to the Northern Hemisphere.
- Key drivers include extreme droughts in the Northern Hemisphere, melting snow and permafrost in Canada and Russia, and global groundwater depletion.
- The study calls for immediate action on global water security, including new policies and sustainable groundwater management to mitigate further damage.
- Strategic water management, international cooperation, and sustainable policies are essential to preserving freshwater for future generations.