Recently, the State of Global Water Resources report 2023 has been published.
About State of Global Water Resources report 2023

- Published by: World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
- Annual report: It 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.
Key Findings from State of Global Water Resources Report 2023
- Driest year: 2023 marked the driest year for global rivers in over three decades.
- Below-normal river flows: Widespread below-average river flows for five consecutive years.
- Reservoir inflows: Similar pattern to river flows, reducing water for communities, agriculture, and ecosystems.
- Glacier mass loss: 2023 recorded the second consecutive year of global ice loss across all glacier regions.
- Hydrological extremes: The hottest year on record in 2023 led to prolonged droughts and significant floods.
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Causes of Extreme Hydrological Events
- Influenced by climate change and the transition from La Niña to El Niño in mid-2023.
- Rising temperatures are accelerating the hydrological cycle, making it more erratic and unpredictable.
- Warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, contributing to heavy rainfall, floods.
Challenges Highlighted by the State of Global Water Resources Report 2023
- Water security: Melting glaciers threaten long-term water security for millions.
- Insufficient data: Limited understanding of the world’s freshwater resources, highlighting the need for better data collection and sharing.
- Impact on SDGs: The world is off track on achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 (clean water and sanitation).
- Water access crisis: Currently, 3.6 billion people face inadequate access to water for at least a month per year, expected to increase to over 5 billion by 2050.
Future Outlook
- UN Water Forecast: Predicts that water scarcity will worsen, and more than 5 billion people will face inadequate access by 2050.
- Global Early Warnings Initiative: Aims to improve water-related hazard monitoring and provide early warning systems for all by 2027.
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About the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
- The WMO is an intergovernmental organisation with 193 member states and territories.
India is one of the Member States of the WMO.
- Origin: WMO originated from the International Meteorological Organization, the roots of which were planted at the 1873 Vienna International Meteorological Congress.
- Establishment: WMO was established by ratifying the WMO Convention on 23rd March 1950.
- Specialized Agency: It became the specialised agency of the United Nations for Meteorology (weather and climate), operational hydrology and related geophysical sciences.
- Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
- Governance Structure:
- Supreme body: World Meteorological Congress
- Consists of representatives of all members.
- Meets at least every four years to set general policy and adopt regulations.
- 36-member Executive Council: Meets annually and implements policy.
- Secretariat: Headed by a secretary-general
- Appointed by the congress for a four-year term, serves as the administrative centre of the organisation.