Brazil, hosting 12% of the world’s freshwater, faces alarming water loss due to climate change and deforestation. The country has lost 400,000 hectares of surface water from 2023 to 2024, with extensive losses recorded since 1985. Urgent measures for water management are needed, especially ahead of the COP30 climate conference.
Brazil, which contains 12% of the world’s freshwater reserves primarily located in the Amazon, is facing severe reductions in natural surface water. Recent data indicates that Brazil lost 400,000 hectares of surface water between 2023 and 2024, equivalent to the size of Rhode Island. This decline is attributed to climate change and the conversion of forests to agricultural land.
Over the past 16 years, only 2022 recorded an increase in surface water, while from 1985 onwards, approximately 2.4 million hectares have been lost due to drought, development, and aquifer depletion. As Juliano Schirmbeck, coordinator of the MapBiomas Agua report, states, “The dynamics of land occupation and use, along with extreme climate events caused by global warming, are making Brazil drier.”
The necessity for improved water management strategies and public policies is essential to reverse these alarming trends. In November, Brazil will host the COP30 UN climate conference in Belem, highlighting the importance of water issues amidst global climate discussions. Alarmingly, the Amazon saw a reduction in surface water by 4.5 million hectares last year alone, an area larger than Denmark.
The Pantanal wetlands, significantly impacted by drought and wildfires in the previous year, experienced a stunning 61% reduction in their water surface compared to the average levels since 1985. Although human-made water bodies such as reservoirs and dams have increased by 54% since 1985, this growth does not mitigate the substantial loss of natural freshwater sources, underscoring the urgency of the situation.
Brazil’s freshwater resources are under severe threat due to climate change and land conversion, leading to significant losses in natural water bodies. The implications of these changes necessitate immediate adaptive water management strategies and public policies. As Brazil prepares for global discussions on climate change at COP30, the country’s declining water resources should be a priority issue.
Original Source: www.bssnews.net
