GENEVA: The year 2023 marked the driest year for global rivers in over three decades, according to a new report coordinated by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), which signalled critical changes in water availability in an era of growing demand.

The last five consecutive years have recorded widespread below-normal conditions for river flows, with reservoir inflows following a similar pattern. This reduces the amount of water available for communities, agriculture and ecosystems, further stressing global water supplies, according to the State of Global Water Resources 2023 report.

It calridied that glaciers suffered the largest mass loss ever registered in the last five decades. 2023 is the second consecutive year in which all regions in the world with glaciers reported iceloss.

“Melting ice and glaciers threaten long-term water security for many millions of people, and yet we are not taking the necessary urgent action,’ said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.

‘As a result of rising temperature
s, the hydrological cycle has accelerated. It has also become more erratic and unpredictable, and we are facing growing problems of either too much or too little water,” she added.

Source: Emirates News Agency