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Climate crisis ‘wreaking havoc’ on Earth’s water cycle, report finds

Global heating is supercharging storms, floods and droughts, affecting entire ecosystems and billions of people

 The climate crisis is “wreaking havoc” on the planet’s water cycle,
with ferocious floods and crippling droughts affecting billions of people,
a report has found.

Water is people’s most vital natural resource but
global heating is changing the way water moves around the Earth. The
analysis of water disasters in 2024, which was the hottest year on record,
found they had killed at least 8,700 people, driven 40 million from their
homes and caused economic damage of more than $550bn (£445bn).

Rising temperatures, caused by continued burning of fossil fuels, disrupt the
water cycle in multiple ways. Warmer air can hold more water vapour,
leading to more intense downpours. Warmer seas provide more energy to
hurricanes and typhoons, supercharging their destructive power. Global
heating can also increase drought by causing more evaporation from soil, as
well as shifting rainfall patterns.

 Guardian 6th Jan 2025
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/06/climate-crisis-wreaking-havoc-on-earths-water-cycle-report-finds

January 10, 2025 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | climate change