The year 2024 has been a stark reminder of the fragile balance within Earth’s water systems. A comprehensive report led by ANU Professor Albert van Dijk underscores how rising global temperatures are significantly altering the planet’s water cycle. These shifts have intensified tropical cyclones, prolonged droughts, and contributed to devastating flash floods worldwide, leaving a profound impact on human lives, ecosystems, and economies.
2024 marked the planet’s warmest year on record for the fourth consecutive year, with air temperatures over land soaring 1.2°C higher than at the start of the century and 2.2°C above pre-Industrial Revolution levels. Nearly half the global population about four billion people across 111 countries experienced unprecedented warmth. These temperature increases drove extreme weather patterns, magnifying the frequency and intensity of water-related disasters.
The effects were catastrophic. Flash floods, river floods, droughts, cyclones, and landslides claimed over 8,700 lives, displaced 40 million people, and caused economic damages exceeding $550 billion. Rainfall extremes, both highs and lows, broke records at alarming rates, with monthly and daily rainfall peaks occurring 27% and 52% more often than at the start of the century, respectively.
In Brazil, torrential rains delivered over 300 millimeters in a single event, triggering landslides and flooding that claimed more than 80 lives. Meanwhile, in Afghanistan and Pakistan, flash floods from relentless rainfall killed over 1,000 people. In southern China, the Yangtze and Pearl Rivers overflowed, displacing thousands and devastating crops, while Bangladesh’s monsoon-induced river floods affected 5.8 million people and destroyed a million tonnes of rice.
At the other extreme, crippling droughts ravaged regions like the Amazon Basin and southern Africa. In the Amazon, record-low river levels disrupted transportation and hydropower, while wildfires scorched over 52,000 square kilometers of land in a single month, releasing immense greenhouse gas emissions. Southern Africa’s drought cut maize production by more than half, leading to food shortages for 30 million people and forcing farmers to cull livestock as pastures dried up.
These unprecedented events demand immediate and comprehensive action. Strengthening flood defenses, developing drought-resilient agricultural systems, and implementing robust early warning systems are critical steps. As Professor van Dijk noted, “Water is our most critical resource, and its extremes both floods and droughts are among the greatest threats we face.”
The Global Water Monitor’s use of satellite and ground station data provided near real-time insights into rainfall, soil moisture, and river flows, emphasizing the importance of collaborative global efforts. Adapting to these intensifying extremes is no longer optional; it’s essential for safeguarding lives and securing the planet’s future.
