Global water cycles are ‘spinning out of balance’, weather agency reports

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🗞️ Driving the news: The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has highlighted that the hydrological cycle is increasingly imbalanced due to climate change, resulting in more severe precipitation episodes and flooding, as well as heightened evaporation and droughts

🔭 The context: The U.N. agency's State of Global Water Resources report for 2022 showed that over 50% of global catchment areas have seen deviations from their usual river discharge conditions, with a notable mention of China's Yangtze River being drier than typical
• Conversely, floods in Pakistan that claimed more than 1,700 lives last year were pointed out as another extreme consequence

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The intensifying imbalance in the hydrological cycle can lead to devastating environmental and socio-economic impacts
• The increasing extremities in weather patterns jeopardize communities, ecosystems, and economies globally
• The fallout is not only environmental but also poses a threat to life and livelihoods, particularly in vulnerable regions

⏭️ What's next: There's a glaring need for a better understanding of the world's freshwater resources to be able to effectively manage extreme weather events concerning water supplies
• The WMO is underscoring the vital importance of comprehensive and frequent analyses of global water conditions

💬 One quote: "...Far too little is known about the true state of the world's freshwater resources. We cannot manage what we do not measure." (World Meteorological Organization)

📈 One stat: Over 50% of global catchment areas experienced deviations from normal river discharge conditions in 2022

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