World Meteorological Organization: World's water resources are under increasing pressure

The World Meteorological Organization has published its report titled "State of Global Water Resources".

The report emphasized that the water cycle around the world is becoming increasingly irregular and extreme, pointing out that this cycle oscillates between "flood and drought."

Addressing the cascading effects of too much or too little water on economies and society, the report noted that only a third of global river basins will have "normal" conditions by 2024.

The report noted that the remaining river basins were either above or below normal, adding, "This represents the sixth consecutive year of significant imbalance. 2024 was the third consecutive year of widespread glacier loss across all regions. Many small glacier areas have reached or are nearing peak water flow, the point at which a glacier's melt reaches its maximum annual flow rate and then declines as the glaciers shrink."

The report highlighted that the Amazon Basin, other parts of South America, and Southern Africa grappled with severe drought last year, while Central, West, and East Africa, parts of Asia, and Central Europe experienced wetter conditions than normal.

The report also highlighted the critical need for improved monitoring and data sharing on water worldwide.

WMO Secretary-General Saulo, whose views were included in the report, noted that water sustains societies, strengthens economies and strengthens ecosystems.

"The world's water resources are under increasing pressure"

"The world's water resources are under increasing pressure. At the same time, more extreme water-related hazards are having a growing impact on lives and livelihoods," Saulo said.

Saulo stated that reliable, science-based information on water is more crucial than ever, saying, "WMO's 2024 Global State of Water Resources Report is part of WMO's commitment to providing this information. Continued investment in data sharing and enhanced cooperation are vital to closing monitoring gaps. Without data, we risk flying blind."

According to the UN Water Agency (UN Water), approximately 3.6 billion people face inadequate access to water for at least one month a year, and this number is expected to exceed 5 billion by 2050.

This leaves the world falling far behind Sustainable Development Goal 6 on water and sanitation.