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Water is a fundamental resource for the existence of life. Climate change is causing problems in this area, with some regions experiencing increasingly severe droughts while others face catastrophic floods. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has announced that the hydrological cycle is becoming increasingly unbalanced due to climate change and has called for a fundamental policy change to improve monitoring.
"We are witnessing episodes of heavier precipitation and more intense flooding. At the opposite extreme, there is more evaporation, dry soils, and more intense droughts," said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas in a statement as the UN agency published its report, "Global Water Resources Status in 2022." According to the report, over 50% of the world's catchment areas have experienced deviations from normal river flow conditions, with most being poorer in water than usual. The report cites the example of China's Yangtze River. On the other extreme, the report mentions the floods in Pakistan, which killed over 1,700 people last year.
"Far too little is known about the true state of the world's freshwater resources. We cannot manage what we do not measure," WMO stated in its press release. This report is only the second such analysis conducted by WMO and includes data from large hydrographic basins, including river flow, groundwater, evaporation, soil moisture, and water accumulation in reservoirs.
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