From the Amazon to South Asia, the report documents a year in which only a third of river basins behaved “normally.” Many places saw drought and flood in rapid succession, with communities and planners struggling to absorb the shocks.
Only a third of the world’s river basins saw normal conditions in 2024. The World Meteorological Organization’s latest State of Global Water Resources report says an increasingly erratic water cycle is already driving food scarcity, rising prices, migration and conflict—costing societies billions. “This is existential for some regions,” said Stefan Uhlenbrook of the WMO, warning that governments are failing to act at the speed required. As Lucy Barker of the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology put it: “If we are not taking proactive measures now, this will cost more in the future.”
RELEVANT SUSTAINABLE GOALS
Hottest Year on Record, Water Extremes Everywhere
Last year was the hottest on record, 1.55C above preindustrial levels. The Amazon endured a severe drought peaking July to September, while dry conditions also gripped parts of North America, southern and south-eastern Africa, and Mexico. At the same time, deluges battered Central Europe, Russia, Pakistan and northern India—sometimes hitting regions that also faced drought within the year. In Africa’s tropical zone, floods killed about 2,500 people and displaced 4 million, damaging vital infrastructure such as roads. Severe floods also struck the south of Brazil even as the Amazon parched.
Glaciers across all regions lost ice mass for the third consecutive year, with record losses in Svalbard, Scandinavia and north Asia—equivalent to about 1.2mm of sea level rise. Snow cover is disappearing in some places, and the snowmelt peak is arriving earlier, Uhlenbrook noted, leaving ecosystems without water when it is most needed.
Why Water Volatility Is a Food and Price Shock
Scientists say governments can still reduce the impact of extreme swings in the water cycle by:
- Rapidly cutting greenhouse gas emissions;
- Restoring wetlands and building reservoirs to store water and soften flood peaks;
- Shifting farming techniques to make better use of limited water;
- Investing in early warning systems to save lives when severe weather hits;
- Cooperating across borders to prepare and share data.
“These investments pay back for society,” Uhlenbrook said. “This is not getting sufficient political attention.”
From the Amazon to South Asia, the report documents a year in which only a third of river basins behaved “normally.” Many places saw drought and flood in rapid succession, with communities and planners struggling to absorb the shocks. The message is consistent across affected regions: build resilience now or face mounting losses.
The water cycle is swinging harder—and faster. The WMO’s warning is clear: without proactive measures, the costs will escalate. With targeted emissions cuts, smarter storage, resilient agriculture and robust early warning, governments can turn a year of extremes into a pivot toward preparedness.
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