World Water Day

Water is one of the most important resources on earth and it is vital for life. Unfortunately, water resources are under threat from a number of environmental problems. One of the major factors accelerating change related to water is climate change. Climate change is causing an increase in water evaporation from water bodies such as seas, rivers and oceans due to rising temperatures. This results in more water circulating into the atmosphere in its vapour form. Out of this increased water vapour, a proportion will condense into clouds and eventually fall back to earth as precipitation.

The increased precipitation can lead to flooding, especially if the ground is already saturated with water from previous rainfall. Flooding can damage infrastructure, homes and businesses, and can lead to loss of life. Climate change is also having an impact on groundwater supplies, as changes in precipitation patterns affect recharge rates. In some areas, groundwater depletion is a serious problem. Accelerating change in water resources is a complex issue with many different facets.

However, climate change is undoubtedly one of the major drivers of change and it is important that we understand the impacts it is having so that we can adapt our management of water resources accordingly