The Secretary General of the World Meteorological Organization, Celeste Saulo, has put figures to an uncomfortable reality: the Earth has seen approximately 9.000 gigatons of ice, a volume comparable to 31 years of drinking water. This data reflects the impact of rising temperatures and the disorder in hydrological cycles.
The message, launched during the National Water Congress in Mar del Plata, came with a direct warning: Rising sea levels threaten the survival of island and coastal countries. Furthermore, increasingly frequent episodes of extreme heat and heat waves are being experienced, which, according to the expert, should be considered a warning sign for society as a whole.
What it means to lose the equivalent of three decades of drinking water
When continental ice melts and ends up in the ocean, fresh water is released that is no longer available for use in human activities. In practical terms, this loss amounts to three decades of global drinking water consumption, showing the magnitude of the thaw and its impact on resource availability.
The consequences are not only reflected in numbers:Sea levels rise, coasts erode, and aquifers become saline. This puts pressure on the water security of coastal communities, critical infrastructure, and economic sectors, especially in archipelagos and deltas.
