Global water cycle ‘spinning out of balance’: UN meteorological agency

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warned that the hydrological cycle is becoming increasingly imbalanced due to climate change and called for a significant shift in policy towards better monitoring. According to the WMO’s State of Global Water Resources report for 2022, there is a notable increase in heavy precipitation leading to floods, as well as heightened evaporation, resulting in dry soils and more severe droughts. The report revealed that over 50 percent of global catchment areas experienced deviations from normal river discharge conditions, with most of them being drier than usual. The WMO emphasized the need for better understanding and measurement of the world’s freshwater resources, stating, “We cannot manage what we do not measure.” This report is only the second of its kind conducted by the WMO and encompasses data from significant river basins, including information on river discharge, groundwater levels, evaporation, soil moisture, and reservoir inflow.

Source – CGTN