The report, released this week, highlights how climate change is intensifying the unpredictability of water resources, with shrinking glaciers, drought-stricken basins, and devastating floods all recorded in 2024.

"Water sustains societies, drives economies, and underpins ecosystems," said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo. "But pressures on water resources are escalating, while extreme water-related disasters are exacting a heavier toll on lives and livelihoods."

Glaciers in Retreat, Sea Levels Rising

For the third consecutive year, every glacier region on Earth reported ice loss. In 2024 alone, glaciers shed 450 gigatonnes of ice — enough to fill 180 million Olympic-sized swimming pools or form a block seven kilometres in all dimensions. This meltwater pushed sea levels up by about 1.2 millimetres in a single year, heightening flood risks for hundreds of millions of people in low-lying coastal zones.

Scientists warn that in many smaller glacier regions, runoff has already reached or will soon reach its "peak water" point — when annual flows decline permanently as glaciers continue to shrink.

Rivers in Crisis

Two-thirds of global river basins experienced abnormal conditions in 2024. Severe drought gripped the Amazon and large swathes of Africa, while central and eastern Africa, parts of Asia, and Central Europe faced unusually heavy rainfall. Nearly 60% of the world's rivers showed major imbalances, marking the sixth consecutive year of disrupted flows.

Extreme events underscored the volatility: in tropical Africa, torrential rains killed 2,500 people and displaced 4 million, while Europe experienced its most widespread flooding in over a decade. In Asia and the Pacific, cyclones and record rainfall caused more than 1,000 deaths. Brazil endured both catastrophic flooding in the south and an ongoing drought across nearly 60% of its territory.

Billions Face Uncertain Future

Advocates say the findings confirm what vulnerable communities have long understood. "Earth's most vital system — its water cycle — is spinning out of control," said Patience Mukuyu, WaterAid's policy lead on climate resilience. "Too little water, or far too much, is now the defining signal of the climate crisis, undermining food, energy, health, and human security while costing billions in damage."

Already, 3.6 billion people lack reliable access to water for at least one month each year, a figure the UN expects to climb above 5 billion by 2050.

The WMO is urging governments to strengthen monitoring and data sharing to track water risks more effectively. "Without robust data, we are flying blind," Saulo warned.