The UN has issued a warning about a major catastrophe brought on by climate change, which is characterized by increasingly extreme droughts and floods. According to a UN study released on October 7, 2024, the world's glaciers had their greatest mass loss in fifty years, while the rivers saw their driest conditions in more than thirty years.
Climate Change's Impact on the Water Cycle
- Water serves as an early warning sign for climate change, causing unpredictable rainfalls and long-lasting droughts.
- Human-caused climate change worsens these weather events, with warmer temperatures leading to heavier rain and floods and higher temperatures increasing evaporation.
- Glacier melting and water shortages affect 3.6 billion people, half the global population, with the number expected to rise to 5 billion by 2050.
- From September 2022 to August 2023, glaciers lost over 600 gigatonnes of water, the most in 50 years.
- Over half of the world’s river basins have been drier than usual for the past three years.
- Urgent action is needed to monitor fresh water effectively, create early warning systems, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Month: Current Affairs - November 09, 2024
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