Brazil is losing its natural surface water due to climate change and land conversion, with significant losses reported by the MapBiomas platform. Key areas affected include the Amazon and Pantanal wetlands. The data emphasizes the necessity for urgent adaptive management and public policies as Brazil prepares to host the COP30 UN climate conference in November.
Brazil, which contains 12 percent of the Earth’s freshwater reserves largely within the Amazon rainforest, is experiencing a significant decline in its natural surface water. According to a report released by the MapBiomas monitoring platform, the country has lost an alarming 400,000 hectares of surface water from the previous year, roughly the size of Rhode Island. Since 1985, Brazil has witnessed a loss of approximately 2.4 million hectares of river and lake surfaces attributed to drought, urban development, and excessive aquifer extraction.
In the past sixteen years, Brazil recorded a solitary increase in water surface during 2022, while the year 2023 marked another decline. Juliano Schirmbeck, the coordinator of the MapBiomas Agua report, emphasized that Brazil’s increasing dryness is driven by both land use dynamics and extreme climate events linked to global warming. Schirmbeck urged the implementation of adaptive water management strategies and public policies to combat this disconcerting trend.
The upcoming COP30 UN climate conference scheduled for November in Belem, the capital of the Amazonian state of Para, will spotlight these pressing issues. Approximately two-thirds of Brazil’s surface water is situated in the Amazon, which is integral for carbon dioxide absorption and climate regulation. Notably, last year saw a reduction of 4.5 million hectares of surface water in the Amazon compared to 2022, equivalent to the size of Denmark.
The Pantanal wetlands, already devastated by drought and wildfires, face the most significant impacts, with water surface levels in 2024 being 61 percent lower than the long-term average since 1985. Although artificial water bodies, such as reservoirs and dams, have increased by 54 percent since 1985, this growth has not sufficed to counterbalance the substantial loss of natural freshwater sources.
In summary, Brazil’s critical freshwater resources are rapidly diminishing due to climate change and land conversion. The data highlights the urgent need for effective water management strategies and policies to address these challenges. Recognizing the importance of the Amazon for climate regulation and as a significant freshwater reservoir, it is imperative that stakeholders unite to develop solutions aimed at reversing these concerning trends.
Original Source: www.ndtv.com
