Over Half of World's Largest Lakes Losing Water
Via Phys.org
Summary
A major study published in the journal Science in May 2023 found that more than half of the world's largest lakes and reservoirs have lost significant water volume over the past three decades. Researchers analyzed satellite data covering nearly 2,000 of the planet's largest bodies of water and found that 53% experienced declining water storage, with a cumulative loss of approximately 22 gigatonnes per year.
The study attributed 56% of the decline in natural lakes to climate warming and human water consumption, with warming identified as the larger driver. Notable affected lakes include the Caspian Sea and South America's Lake Titicaca. Researchers estimated that roughly one-quarter of the global population lives within the basin of a drying lake, underscoring the scale of the freshwater security challenge ahead.
