Brazil Faces Severe Loss of Surface Water Due to Climate Change and Land Use Changes
Brazil is losing natural surface water primarily due to climate change and deforestation, with a significant loss of 400,000 hectares from 2022 to 2023. The Amazon, crucial for climate regulation, saw a reduction in surface water area, while the Pantanal wetlands are critically affected. Urgent action and adaptive water management policies are needed.
Brazil, which contains 12% of the world’s freshwater reserves primarily located in the Amazon, is facing significant losses in natural surface water due to climate change and deforestation for agricultural purposes. According to a report from the MapBiomas monitoring platform, Brazil lost 400,000 hectares of aquatic surface between 2022 and 2023, an area comparable to Rhode Island.
Over the past 16 years, there was only an increase in surface water in 2022, while since 1985, approximately 2.4 million hectares of rivers and lakes have vanished, primarily due to droughts, urbanization, and over-extraction of aquifers. Juliano Schirmbeck, coordinator of the report, emphasized that the interplay between land use and extreme climatic events is contributing to an increasingly arid Brazil.
This report, released in anticipation of World Water Day, highlights the urgent need for adaptive water management policies to address this alarming trend. Brazil is set to host the COP30 UN climate conference in November in Belém, located in the Amazonian state of Pará, underlining the importance of addressing climate issues in this crucial region.
The Amazon contains nearly two-thirds of Brazil’s surface water and plays an essential role in regulating the climate by absorbing carbon dioxide. However, the report revealed that surface water in the Amazon decreased by 4.5 million hectares from 2022, which is equivalent to the size of Denmark. Additionally, the Pantanal wetlands experienced severe drought and fires, resulting in a water surface that is 61% below average since 1985.
While artificial water bodies, such as reservoirs and dams, have increased by 54% since 1985, these man-made sources have not compensated for the extensive loss of natural freshwater resources.
Brazil is facing a critical loss of its natural surface water due to climate change and land use changes, notably losing significant water areas in the Amazon and Pantanal wetlands. The findings underscore the urgency for improved water management policies and highlight Brazil’s upcoming role in global climate discussions at COP30. Without effective strategies, the trend of declining freshwater resources may continue, exacerbating environmental and ecological challenges.
Original Source: www.ndtv.com
