The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has reported on the global water scarcity situation, highlighting that the water levels of major tributaries feeding into the Amazon—the largest river on Earth—are at record lows.
One of the main branches of the Amazon River, the Negro River at the port of Manaus, has dropped to its lowest recorded level (12.66 meters), as reported by Brazil’s geological agency on October 4. This is the lowest level recorded since measurements began 122 years ago, with the water level decreasing at a rate of approximately 17.8 cm per day.
Rio Negro River in Brazil, taken in September 2023. (Photo: Jesper Sohof/Shutterstock).
The WMO’s report titled “Global Water Resources Status 2023” indicates that rivers worldwide were “characterized by drier than normal to normal conditions” last year, comparing it to data on river flow at any point since 1991.
According to the report, data reveals that 45% of rivers around the world have been found to have water flow levels either below or significantly below normal. While many countries in East Africa have experienced devastating floods, the report states that heavy rainfall leading to flooding “may be caused by the El Niño phenomenon.” Human-induced climate change is one of the contributing factors to extreme weather events.
The WMO Secretary-General, Celeste Saulo, stated in a declaration that “Due to rising temperatures, the hydrological cycle has accelerated. It has also become more erratic and unpredictable, and we are facing increasing issues of either too much or too little water.”
“Water is a warning signal for climate change. We are receiving urgent signals in the form of increasingly extreme rainfall, flooding, and droughts, causing severe damage to lives, ecosystems, and economies. Melting ice and glaciers threaten long-term water security for millions of people,” Saulo remarked, emphasizing the need for urgent actions to mitigate this situation.
Accordingly, urgent actions are being called for further research and a better understanding of what is happening with the world’s freshwater resources. Although the WMO report is considered comprehensive, it still lacks substantial data due to insufficient observation or sharing, particularly in Africa, South America, and Asia.
Saulo believes that “too little information is known about the actual state of freshwater resources globally,” making it difficult to “manage what cannot be measured.” Therefore, there is a need for improved monitoring, data sharing, and cross-border cooperation in this field.
According to the World Weather Attribution (WWA), climate change is fueling extreme weather phenomena. Linking climate change to each individual drought event can be quite challenging. The availability of water depends on numerous factors beyond temperature and rainfall, with natural weather systems also playing a significant role. This is evident in the drought occurring in southern Africa at the beginning of 2024. However, heatwaves caused by climate change can exacerbate drought conditions by drying out the soil, leading to quicker warming of the air above and intensifying heat.
During hot weather periods, the demand for water increases, particularly from farmers, putting additional pressure on water supplies. In many areas of East Africa, the rainy season has been absent consecutively from 2020 to 2022 as the region experienced its worst drought in 40 years, leaving 1.2 million people in Somalia homeless. Climate change is likely making such droughts at least 100 times more probable.
