Freshwater Disappearing at Alarming Rates

Satellite data show that since 2002, losses of freshwater have been unprecedented, attributed to climate change, droughts, and irrational use of groundwater. This is reported by the Hydro-Meteorological and Monitoring Center.

A study published in the journal Science Advances raises alarm about the emergence of four 'mega-dry' regions in the Northern Hemisphere. Dry terrestrial areas are expanding yearly, covering an area twice the size of California, altering established hydrological patterns.

The negative impacts of freshwater scarcity are staggering. Seventy-five percent of the world's population resides in 101 countries that have experienced freshwater crises over the past 22 years. According to United Nations forecasts, the global population is projected to continue growing over the next 50-60 years, while access to freshwater will sharply decline.

The study identified a turning point in 2014-2015, considered the 'mega El Niño' period. As a result, the frequency of extreme climate events has increased, alongside a rise in groundwater usage.

The 'drying' of continents has outpaced the melting of glaciers. In the mid-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, particularly in Europe, instances of extreme drought have sharply risen. Furthermore, over the past decade, the melting of snow and permafrost has intensified in Canada and Russia.

Research has determined that since 2002, only tropical regions have continued to become more humid, a trend not predicted by the climate models of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.