From Valleynewslive · · 1m 20s
Earth's water cycle is breaking down
A new global report shows the water cycle is becoming erratic, with record floods and droughts hitting harder and faster than ever.
In brief
A new global report shows the water cycle is becoming erratic, with record floods and droughts hitting harder and faster than ever. The water cycle that regulates Earth's freshwater is destabilizing due to fossil fuel pollution, creating more extreme and unpredictable weather swings that leave communities unable to…
The water cycle is breaking
The World Meteorological Organization found that Earth's water cycle is being thrown off balance by fossil fuel pollution, bringing shrinking rivers, disappearing glaciers, and swings between floods and drought.
Conditions are becoming erratic
The report warns the water cycle is becoming more erratic and unpredictable. The past five years have all seen record-breaking floods and droughts, with some places having little time to recover between extreme events.
Water storage is declining
Global terrestrial water storage has shown a declining trend since 2014 to 2016, a persistent decade-long signal. For the fourth consecutive year, every major glaciated region on Earth lost ice mass.
Groundwater is in deficit
Nearly two-thirds of monitored wells worldwide showed conditions outside the historical norm in 2025. The balance shifted further toward deficit compared with 2024, not toward recovery.
“nearly two-thirds of monitored wells worldwide showed conditions outside the historical norm in 2025”
Report covers 60 countries
The World Meteorological Organization drew on water information from more than 60 countries for its annual analysis. The report covers 2025, one of the planet's warmest years on record.
The big picture
The water cycle that regulates Earth's freshwater is destabilizing due to fossil fuel pollution, creating more extreme and unpredictable weather swings that leave communities unable to recover between disasters.
