In 2023, World Rivers Were Driest in Three Decades

Published OCT 7 2024

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Above: **Watermarked Getty Image. Kindly Replace** Image credit: Contributor/NurPhoto via Getty Images

The Spin

The worst-ever drying up of the world's rivers in three decades in 2023 left far-reaching effects on both ecosystems and human life, including reduced availability of potable water, power generation, and agricultural output. It also caused shipping delays and raised food costs. As rivers shrink, ecosystems are thrown off balance, threatening biodiversity and livelihoods. The crisis highlights the urgent need for climate action to safeguard the planet’s resources.

CNN

Climate change is not the only cause of rivers drying up more than usual. Human intervention, such as damming, concrete riverbeds, and poor water management, also disrupts natural river behavior. Rivers are naturally dynamic, shaped by a complex mix of climate, rainfall, and the environment over time. But when engineered to fit human needs, rivers become "flashier," more prone to extremes like floods and droughts. We must allow rivers to function more naturally and better manage the water flow.

World Economic Forum

Metaculus Prediction

There is a 37% chance humanity will (essentially) run out of at least one element currently considered "under serious threat" by 2040, according to the Metaculus prediction community.