Climate Crisis Disrupts Earth’s Water Cycle, Report Warns
A new report highlights the severe impact of the climate crisis on the Earth’s water cycle, with extreme weather events causing significant harm to billions of people, The Guardian reported.
The analysis, conducted by an international team of researchers, reveals that 2024 was the hottest year on record, resulting in at least 8,700 deaths and displacing 40 million individuals due to water-related disasters.
Rising temperatures, driven by fossil fuel consumption, have intensified storms and droughts. The report notes that warmer air holds more moisture, leading to heavier rainfall and more powerful hurricanes, while also increasing evaporation and altering rainfall patterns, exacerbating drought conditions.
In 2024, deadly floods struck countries like Nepal, Brazil, and Bangladesh, while droughts halved crop production in southern Africa, leaving over 30 million people facing food shortages. The report’s lead researcher, Prof. Albert van Dijk, warns that these extremes are part of a worsening trend, predicting even greater risks in 2025 as carbon emissions continue to rise.
To combat these challenges, the report calls for improved flood defenses, drought-resistant food production, and enhanced early warning systems to safeguard water resources essential for survival.
