State of Global Water Resources 2023

2023 was the driest year for global rivers in over three decades, according to the latest edition of the State of Global Water Resources report coordinated by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and published in October 2024. The report signalled critical changes in water availability in an era of growing demand. 

For five consecutive years, we have seen widespread below-normal conditions for river flows, with reservoir inflows following a similar pattern. This reduces the amount of water available for communities, agriculture and ecosystems, placing further stress on global water supplies, according to the report.

Glaciers experienced the largest mass loss in the last five decades. 2023 is the second consecutive year in which all regions in the world with glaciers have reported ice loss.

With 2023 being the hottest year on record, elevated temperatures and widespread dry conditions contributed to prolonged droughts. But there were also a significant number of floods around the world. The extreme hydrological events were influenced by naturally occurring climate conditions – the transition from La Niña to El Niño in mid-2023 – as well as human induced climate change.

The State of Global Water Resources report series offers a comprehensive and consistent overview of water resources worldwide. It is based on input from dozens of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and other organisations and experts. It seeks to inform decision makers in water-sensitive sectors and provide information for disaster risk reduction professionals. It complements WMO’s flagship State of the Global Climate series.

The State of the Global Water Resources report is now in its third year and is the most comprehensive to date, with new information on lake and reservoir volumes, soil moisture data, and more details on glaciers and snow water equivalent.

(WMO/ile)

Read more and download the report on the WMO website