Brazil’s Freshwater Crisis: Climate Change and Land Conversion Threaten Surface Water

Brazil, holding 12% of Earth’s freshwater largely in the Amazon, is losing natural surface water. A report revealed a loss of 400,000 hectares from 2023 to the previous year. Key factors include climate change and land conversion. The Amazon is crucial for climate regulation, yet surface water is diminishing significantly. Urgent adaptive management and policy reforms are necessary.

Brazil hosts approximately 12 percent of the world’s freshwater reserves, primarily located in the Amazon; however, the nation is experiencing a significant loss of natural surface water. A report from the MapBiomas monitoring platform indicates that Brazil lost 400,000 hectares of aquatic surface between 2023 and the previous year, which is akin to the size of Rhode Island.

Over the past 16 years, only the year 2022 showed a rise in surface water levels. Since 1985, Brazil has lost around 2.4 million hectares of river and lake surfaces due to factors such as drought, urban development, and excessive aquifer extraction. Juliano Schirmbeck, the coordinator of the MapBiomas Agua report, stated, “The dynamics of land occupation and use, along with extreme climate events caused by global warming, are making Brazil drier.”

Schirmbeck emphasized that the data highlights the necessity for adaptive water management strategies and public policies aimed at reversing this alarming trend. Moreover, Brazil is set to host the COP30 UN climate conference in November in Belem, located in the Amazonian state of Para.

The Amazon holds nearly two-thirds of Brazil’s surface water, contributing significantly to climate regulation by absorbing carbon dioxide. However, in the previous year, the surface water area in the Amazon decreased by 4.5 million hectares from 2022, roughly equivalent to the size of Denmark, as reported.

Additionally, the Pantanal wetlands, devastated by drought and wildfires in 2023, experienced a staggering 61 percent reduction in water surface area on average since 1985. While human-made water bodies such as reservoirs and dams have increased by 54 percent since 1985, this expansion has failed to offset the loss of natural freshwater sources, according to the report.

In summary, Brazil is confronting a critical decline in its natural surface water resources due to climate change and land conversion. The MapBiomas report underscores the urgency for effective adaptive management strategies and public policy reform. With significant implications on the Amazon and its vital ecological functions, proactive measures are essential to preserve Brazil’s freshwater reserves as the country prepares for its upcoming role in the COP30 UN climate conference.

Original Source: www.ndtv.com