The Secretary General of the World Meteorological Organization, Celeste Saulo, has put figures to an uncomfortable reality: the Earth has seen approximately 9.000 gigatons of ice, a volume comparable to 31 years of drinking water. This data reflects the impact of rising temperatures and the disorder in hydrological cycles..
The message, launched during the National Water Congress in Mar del Plata, came with a direct warning: Rising sea levels threaten the survival of island and coastal countriesFurthermore, increasingly frequent episodes of extreme heat and heat waves are being experienced, which, according to the expert, should be considered a warning sign for society as a whole.
What it means to lose the equivalent of three decades of drinking water
When continental ice melts and ends up in the ocean, fresh water is released that is no longer available for use in human activities. In practical terms, this loss amounts to three decades of global drinking water consumption, showing the magnitude of the thaw and its impact on resource availability.
The consequences are not only reflected in numbers: Sea levels rise, coasts erode, and aquifers become saline.This puts pressure on the water security of coastal communities, critical infrastructure, and economic sectors, especially in archipelagos and deltas.
Weather forecasting: major advances and persistent gaps
In recent decades, the ability to anticipate the weather has improved significantly: today, A seven-day forecast has a reliability comparable to that of one- or three-day forecasts from thirty years ago.This has been achieved thanks to the deployment of satellites, advances in supercomputing, and increasingly precise numerical models.
However, progress still presents challenges. Saulo highlighted that a Lack of in situ observations in large regions of Africa and Latin America, where measurement networks are insufficient. Without quality data, diagnoses and prognoses are weakened, particularly affecting the areas that need them most.
Unequal impacts and the decisive role of early warnings
Since the early 1990s, nine out of ten water-related disasters These events have affected people, including floods, droughts, storms, and coastal storms. Although mortality has decreased thanks to advances in science and preparedness, economic losses continue to increase.
Vulnerability is not distributed evenly. In less developed regions, the consequences are more severe for human communities.In stronger economies, damage is measured in trillions of dollars. In this context, early warning systems prove essential: various assessments estimate that can reduce deaths by between 40% and 80%, as long as they are accessible to the entire population, including the most vulnerable communities.
Regional cooperation and data: the missing piece
In Latin America, There are high-level technical capabilities, but institutional fragmentation limits results.Water management requires cross-border coordination, clear rules for sharing information, and networked operational centers that facilitate cooperation.
Saulo highlighted that one of the main obstacles are hydrological data is shared much less than meteorological dataThe tendency to treat this data as proprietary data impedes better flood forecasting and proper drought management. However, he cited positive examples where cooperation in shared watersheds has worked when there is the will and appropriate protocols.
Climate change, energy transition and public decisions
Celeste Saulo described global warming as an existential crisis for many countries, especially those highly exposed to extreme events and rising sea levels. The transition to renewable energy is progressing, but not yet at the speed needed to curb the risks already present.
Under the economical point of view, Most of the funding is concentrated in the major powers, leaving developing regions such as Latin America, Africa and Southeast Asia with insufficient resources to adapt their societies and economies to these challenges.
Beyond technology, Public action and international cooperation are essentialRegulations, standards, and multilateral efforts contribute to maintaining early warning systems, observation networks, and climate services that benefit the entire population. Examples include Official warning apps and community rain gauge networks show that comprehensive knowledge and action can save lives..
Collective decisions and individual habits play a crucial role. Reduce risks, manage water efficiently, reduce waste and prioritize the collective It is not just a proposal, but a necessary strategy to face a decade that will be decisive in the fight against climate change and its effects.
The figures presented by the WMO show that The recent melting of ice is equivalent to 31 years of drinking water.Water-related disasters account for the majority of the risk, but there are concrete solutions: improving data quality, strengthening international cooperation, ensuring that warnings reach everyone, and accelerating the transition to renewable energy with sufficient financing. The responsibility lies with societies and their institutions to accelerate this transformation.