The UN report says global water management is “fragmented and inadequate”.
Most of the world is unprepared for floods, hurricanes and droughts, which are expected to worsen with climate change and urgently need better warning systems to prevent water-related disasters, according to a report by the United Nations Meteorological Agency. Global water management is “fractured and inadequate” in the report published Tuesday, with nearly 60 percent of the 101 countries included in the report needing better forecasting systems that could help prevent devastation from severe weather.
The report said that as the population grows, the number of people with inadequate access to water is also expected to increase to more than 5 billion by 2050, up from 3.6 billion in 2018. Among the actions suggested in the report were improved warning systems for flood and drought-prone areas, which can identify, for example, when a river is likely to swell.
There is also a need for better funding and coordination between countries on water management, according to reports from the United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization, development agencies and other groups.
“We have to wake up to the impending water crisis,” said World Meteorological Organization secretary general Petri Talas. The report found that since 2000, there has been a 134 percent increase in flood-related disasters globally compared to the previous two decades. Most of the flood-related deaths and economic losses were in Asia, where the last year saw heavy flooding due to excessive rainfall in China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal and Pakistan.
The frequency of drought-related disasters increased by 29 percent over the same period. African countries recorded the most drought-related deaths. The report said that the most economic losses from the drought were in North America, Asia and the Caribbean.
Globally, the report found that 25 percent of all cities already face regular water shortages. Over the past two decades, it said the combined supply of the planet’s surface water, groundwater, and water found in soil, snow and ice has declined by 0.4 inches (1 centimeter) per year.
Professor of Hydrology and Climate Elfatih Eltahir said population growth would put pressure on water supplies, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which was not involved in the report. “Water availability is shaped by growing populations where water adaptation will be critical,” he said. Despite some progress in recent years, the report found that 107 countries will not meet the goals of sustainably managing water supply and access by 2030 at current rates.
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