The latest Global Water Monitor Report from The Australian National University reveals 2024 as a year of unprecedented climate extremes. Rising temperatures have severely disrupted the global water cycle, causing deadly floods and devastating droughts, impacting billions and resulting in enormous economic losses.
The scorching temperatures of 2024 have disrupted the global water cycle to unprecedented levels, causing devastating floods and debilitating droughts worldwide, according to a new report by The Australian National University (ANU).
The 2024 Global Water Monitor Report, spearheaded by Albert van Dijk, a professor at ANU’s Fenner School of Environment & Society, highlights the severe consequences of rising temperatures on water systems, with the findings revealing alarming changes in water movement across the planet.
“Rising sea surface temperatures intensified tropical cyclones and droughts in the Amazon Basin and southern Africa. Global warming also contributed to heavier downpours and slower-moving storms, as evidenced by deadly flash floods in Europe, Asia and Brazil,” van Dijk said in a news release.
In 2024, about 4 billion people — half of the global population — experienced their warmest year on record. The report indicated that air temperatures over land were 1.2 degrees Celsius higher than at the turn of the century and 2.2 degrees Celsius higher since the Industrial Revolution.
“In 2024, Earth experienced its hottest year on record, for the fourth year in a row. Water systems across the globe bore the brunt,” van Dijk added. “2024 was a year of extremes but was not an isolated occurrence. It is part of a worsening trend of more intense floods, prolonged droughts and record-breaking extremes.”
The year witnessed several catastrophic water-related events, including flash floods, river floods, droughts, tropical cyclones and landslides. These disasters claimed over 8,700 lives, displaced 40 million people and resulted in economic losses surpassing $550 billion.
“From historic droughts to catastrophic floods, these extreme events impact lives, livelihoods and entire ecosystems. Separate, heavy rainfall events caused widespread flash flooding in Afghanistan and Pakistan, killing more than 1,000 people,” added van Dijk.
In Brazil, unprecedented flooding resulted in over 80 deaths, accompanied by rainfall surpassing 300 millimeters. Furthermore, the report points out a troubling increase in extreme rainfall events.
Van Dijk added, “We found rainfall records are being broken with increasing regularity. For example, record-high monthly rainfall totals were achieved 27% more frequently in 2024 than at the start of this century, whereas daily rainfall records were achieved 52% more frequently. Record-lows were 38% more frequent, so we are seeing worse extremes on both sides.”
The Yangtze and Pearl Rivers in southern China overflowed, flooding urban areas and displacing tens of thousands while causing substantial agricultural damage. In Bangladesh, severe monsoon rains triggered significant flooding, impacting over 5.8 million people and destroying at least 1 million tonne of rice.
Contrastingly, regions like the Amazon Basin and southern Africa faced paralyzing droughts. The Amazon’s river levels hit record lows, crippling transport and hydropower. Wildfires ravaged more than 52,000 square kilometers, releasing large quantities of greenhouse gases.
In southern Africa, a severe drought slashed maize production by over 50%, affecting 30 million people with food shortages and forcing farmers to cull livestock due to barren pastures. The drought also diminished hydropower production, resulting in widespread blackouts.
The drought also diminished hydropower production, resulting in widespread blackouts.
Van Dijk emphasized the need for adaptive measures, adding: “We need to prepare and adapt to inevitably more severe extreme events. That can mean stronger flood defenses, developing more drought-resilient food production and water supplies, and better early warning systems.”
The research team analyzed data from thousands of ground stations and satellites to provide real-time insights into critical water variables, such as rainfall, soil moisture, river flows and flooding.