Global Water Cycle Faces Severe Disruption, WMO Warns
Global Water Cycle Faces Severe Disruption, WMO Warns
US · Published Sep 17, 2026
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has released its annual State of Global Water Resources Report, highlighting significant disruptions to the global water cycle due to fossil fuel pollution.
The report, covering 2025, one of the warmest years on record, reveals declining freshwater storage in rivers, lakes, aquifers, and glaciers.

Impact & Risks

The disruptions to the water cycle pose significant risks to ecosystems, agriculture, and human populations. Rivers, vital for trade, water supply, and energy production, are increasingly unreliable. Melting glaciers threaten water security for two billion people and contribute to rising sea levels. The report also highlights the growing frequency of extreme weather events, such as catastrophic floods in Texas and Southeast Asia, and severe droughts in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. These changes exacerbate water scarcity, increase the risk of natural disasters, and threaten biodiversity and ecosystem stability.

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