Climate change and water intricately intertwined

Today is World Water Day and as climate change and water are intricately intertwined, it seems appropriate to discuss it here.

And so while the world has no more or less fresh water, climate change is severely impacting on its distribution.

Our warmer atmosphere is absorbing more moisture and as Earth’s weather patterns are shifting, the subsequent rain is falling in unusual places and frequently with alarming intensity.

Those huge dumps of rain don’t soak into the soil, rather they simply drain quickly off the landscape taking a massive amount of topsoil with them and mostly leave affected areas devoid of nutrients upon which many crops, grasses and other plants so depend. The outcome is frequently desertification.

World Water Day is an international observance and an opportunity to learn more about water-related issues, be inspired to tell others and take action to make a difference.

World Water Day dates back to the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development where an international observance for water was recommended.

The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating 22 March 1993 as the first World Water Day. It has been held annually since then. Each year, UN-Water — the entity that coordinates the UN’s work on water and sanitation — sets a theme for World Water Day corresponding to a current or future challenge.

Learn about “World Water Day.”