GENEVA (AP) — According to the U.N. weather agency, 2023 has been marked as the driest year for the world’s rivers in over 30 years. This alarming trend follows a year of record-high temperatures that have intensified water shortages and led to extended droughts across various regions.
In its report, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) highlights that glaciers, critical sources of river water in many countries, have experienced their most significant mass loss in five decades. This ice melt poses a serious threat to long-term water security for millions of people worldwide.
“Water acts as a warning sign for climate change,” stated WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo when she released the report on Monday. “We are receiving urgent alerts in the form of increasingly severe rainfall patterns, floods, and droughts that have devastating impacts on lives, ecosystems, and economies.”
She elaborated that rising global temperatures have contributed to a hydrological cycle that is increasingly “erratic and unpredictable,” resulting in fluctuations that leave some regions drowning in water while others face severe shortages.
The situation is dire; approximately 3.6 billion people currently lack adequate access to water for at least one month each year, and this number is projected to swell to 5 billion by 2050, according to data from UN Water.
The year 2023 wasn’t just the driest; it is also set to be recorded as the hottest year ever, with the summer months experiencing unprecedented heat levels. Experts warn this could lead to an even hotter 2024.
The agency has stressed the urgent need for enhanced data collection and sharing, which would provide a clearer overview of global water resources and enable countries and communities to take informed action in response to these challenges.
The report indicates that regions such as the southern United States, Central America, and several South American nations—including Argentina, Brazil, Peru, and Uruguay—are currently facing extensive drought conditions. Some areas, like the Amazon and Lake Titicaca (straddling Peru and Bolivia), have recorded their lowest water levels in history.
Notably, the WMO emphasizes that nearly half of the globe experienced reduced river flow conditions last year, underscoring the urgency of addressing this escalating crisis.
