Using data from NASA Satellites, a research team of international scientists has observed a sudden drop in freshwater that started in 2014 and has persisted since then.

The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites revealed a drastic decline in global terrestrial water storage, or TWS, between May 2014 and March 2016. The scientists warned that those water levels have still not recovered as of 2023. They shared their findings in a study published in the journal Surveys in Geophysics.

From 2015 through 2023, surface and groundwater levels were about 290 cubic miles below the average stored freshwater levels from 2002 through 2014, NASA reported. According to Matthew Rodell, a co-author of the study and a hydrologist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, the amount of water lost from 2015 onward was about 2.5 times the volume of Lake Erie.

The freshwater depletion was driven by drought and exacerbated by the 2016 El Niño event and the increasing modern agricultural and municipal demand for water. The team behind the study also predicted that global warming is playing a part in the declining freshwater levels.

The start of the declining freshwater can be drawn to a record-setting drought in northeastern South America, and water levels struggled to recover as droughts continued to hit all over the world, with massive droughts affecting Australasia, South America, North America, Europe and Africa, the authors reported.

Then, in 2016, one of the strongest El Niño events on record further affected precipitation and affected freshwater recovery, which has remained stalled as more droughts take hold globally. As UNICEF reported, there continues to be a record-breaking drought in the Amazon region since 2023, even worse than the drought that kicked off the freshwater depletion in 2014. This ongoing drought and others around the world affect public health, food security, transportation and more essentials.

Scientists noted that global warming could be to blame for the declining freshwater levels, because the phenomenon can lead to more intense, frequent droughts and can amplify evapotranspiration, where more water from plants and soil moves back into the atmosphere. Further, when precipitation patterns change and lead to more rainfall, the freshwater levels cannot be properly restored.

“The problem when you have extreme precipitation is the water ends up running off,” explained Michael Bosilovich, co-author of the study and NASA Goddard meteorologist. “Warming temperatures increase both the evaporation of water from the surface to the atmosphere, and the water-holding capacity of the atmosphere, increasing the frequency and intensity of drought conditions.”

Scientists are unsure whether the lower freshwater levels will recover. There has also been concern that they could continue to decline, especially as European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) has predicted 2024 to be the hottest year ever recorded.

“We don’t think this is a coincidence, and it could be a harbinger of what’s to come,” Rodell said.

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On a visit to Brazil on Sunday, President Joe Biden became the first sitting president from the United States to visit the Amazon rainforest.

Biden promised funding to protect Earth’s largest tropical rainforest, and signed a proclamation making November 17 International Conservation Day, reported Reuters.

During his four-hour visit to Manaus — the largest Amazon city — Biden announced a $50 million contribution from the U.S. to the Amazon Fund. The pledge brings the country’s total to $100 million to support biodiversity in the rainforest, plant native trees and restore lands.

“The world’s forest trees breathe carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, and yet each minute, the world is chopping down the equivalent (of) 10 soccer fields worth of forest,” Biden told reporters, as Reuters reported.

Biden was on his way to the Group of 20 meeting in Rio de Janeiro, which will tackle issues like global governance, poverty and the climate crisis.

During the brief stopover, Biden saw first-hand how much water levels have fallen due to severe drought in the region. Nobel Prize-winning scientist Carlos Nobre of Brazil accompanied Biden on the helicopter survey. Nobre has said deforestation in the Amazon has altered weather patterns that sustain its tropical rainforest climate.

“It’s often said that the Amazon is the lungs of the world,” Biden said from Manaus, as reported by The New York Times. “But in my view, our forest and national wonders are the heart and soul of the world. The Amazon rainforest was built up over 15 million years. Fifteen million years history is literally watching us now.”

The Amazon rainforest is essential in the fight to mitigate global heating due to the enormous amount of carbon dioxide its diverse array of trees absorb.

During his visit, Biden also met with Indigenous leaders at the Manaus’ Museum of the Amazon.

Incoming U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has called climate change “a hoax” and has promised to increase oil and gas exploration. He has also vowed to eliminate rules put in place by the Biden administration to reduce the number of gas-powered cars on U.S. roads.

In his address, Biden spoke of the “enormous economic opportunity” of renewable energy, declaring that the transition away from fossil fuels was too far along to undo.

“I will leave my successor and my country a strong foundation to build on if they choose to do so. It’s true, some may seek to deny or delay the clean energy revolution that’s underway in America. But nobody, nobody can reverse it. Nobody,” Biden said during his remarks, as CNN reported. “Not when so many people regardless of party or politics are enjoying its benefits. Not when countries around the world are harnessing the clean energy revolution to pull ahead themselves. The question now is: Which government will stand in the way and which will seize the enormous economic opportunity?”

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According to a new study, some plankton species may face changing environmental conditions by 2100 that could impact marine ecosystems and the ocean’s capacity for storing carbon.

Planktonic foraminifera — single-celled organisms who live in seawater — are under threat from warming oceans, a press release from the Max Planck Society said. In tropical regions, the unprecedented conditions could lead to more extinctions.

“Our data shows that planktonic foraminifera, which play a crucial role in the ocean’s carbon cycle, are struggling to survive in a rapidly changing climate. These organisms are like sentinels, warning us of the drastic effects that warming and acidification have on marine ecosystems,” said lead author of the study Sonia Chaabane, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry and the European Centre for Research and Teaching in Environmental Geosciences (CEREGE), in the press release.

The international team of researchers from Germany, France, Japan, Spain and the Netherlands analyzed almost 200,000 datasets going back to 1910 to find out how planktic foraminifers responded to climate change.

The researchers found that many species of foraminifera are migrating toward the poles at rates as high as 10 kilometers a year to escape rising sea surface temperatures. The data also showed that some species are migrating deeper into the ocean in search of cooler waters.

Even with these adjustments, foraminifera populations have shrunk by a quarter in the past eight decades. Tropical species have been the most impacted due to their reproductive cycles being disrupted by the extreme warming in these regions.

Rising carbon dioxide levels in the ocean, coupled with ocean acidification, lower calcium carbonate formation. Foraminifera use calcium carbonate to build their shells. When plankton die, their empty shells sink to the seafloor, so less shell production means less carbon storage.

“Rising carbon dioxide emissions are provoking ocean warming and acidification, altering plankton habitats and threatening calcifying organisms, such as the planktonic foraminifera (PF). Whether the PF can cope with these unprecedented rates of environmental change, through lateral migrations and vertical displacements, is unresolved,” the authors of the study wrote.

Bioindicators such as foraminifera, rather than individual measurements, are likely to provide a better understanding of the complex interactions between ecosystems and climate, the press release said.

“In view of advancing climate change, researchers are faced with the question of adaptation strategies individual species of planktonic foraminifera will develop in the near future,” said Ralf Schiebel, head of micropaleontology group at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, in the press release.

The study, “Migrating is not enough for modern planktonic foraminifera in a changing ocean,” was published in the journal Nature.

“Our insights into the adaptation of foraminifera during the Anthropocene suggest that migration will not be enough to ensure survival. This underscores the urgent need for us to understand how the interplay of climate change, ocean acidification and other stressors will impact the survivability of large parts of the marine realm,” the scientists wrote in the study.

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A new report from Climate Trace identifies global cities with the highest emissions. The report was released on Friday at the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29).

The report includes an inventory of monthly emissions for states, provinces, counties and more than 9,000 cities to provide more localized information on emissions to influence climate policies.

Climate Trace’s data found Shanghai topping the list with 275.28 million metric tons of greenhouse gases across all sectors. As HuffPost reported, other top emitters include Tokyo (250 million metric tons), New York City (160 million metric tons), Houston (150 million metric tons) and Seoul (142 million metric tons). 

According to Climate Trace, most cities don’t have detailed information on their greenhouse gas emissions, emissions which could total an equivalent of around 17 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide.

“Despite pledges and promises, global greenhouse gas emissions continue their steady rise, bringing with them the toxic air pollution that disproportionately impacts communities with fewer resources,” said Al Gore, co-founder of Climate Trace and former U.S. vice president. “But when climate leadership at the global and national levels has faltered, it is state and local leaders who have stepped in to fill the void. Now, with the help of breakthroughs in AI, Climate TRACE is filling an information void that has previously hindered local leaders from taking effective action to combat the global climate crisis and environmental injustice.” 

As HuffPost reported, the Climate Trace coalition used observational data, satellite data and artificial intelligence to measure greenhouse gas emissions at a subnational level.

The report provides insights to spur climate action at the subnational level, and the findings did show some promising results for greenhouse gas emission reductions at the state and province level. According to the report, 378 states in the 30 highest-emitting countries have experienced a decline in greenhouse gas emissions from 2021 to 2024, even if some of the countries’ emissions have continued to rise. 

Globally, the report showed that carbon dioxide and methane increased 0.7% in 2023 and is expected to grow about 0.48% for 2024.

In terms of emissions reductions, the report included “low-hanging fruit” actions that could be swiftly implemented, such as investing in wastewater treatment facility cleanups that prioritize the highest emitting facilities. This alone could reduce emissions per metric ton of waste by 114% compared to spending time and money on cleaning up the 10% lowest-emitting wastewater treatment facilities.

“The newest Climate TRACE inventory finds enormous untapped potential for emissions reductions by investing in these overburdened communities,” said Gavin McCormick, co-founder of Climate Trace and an executive director at WattTime. “Intriguingly, we find this often both reduces pollution inequality and reduces more emissions in total — without requiring any more resources.”

To better facilitate climate action, Climate Trace will begin producing monthly reports on emissions rather than annual reports beginning in 2025.

The report comes at a critical time as countries around the world meet at COP29 to discuss climate action to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels and as the U.S. prepares for the upcoming presidency of Donald Trump, who plans to repeal climate policies and push more domestic fossil fuel production. 

As it stands, the world is currently on track to reach 2.7 degrees Celsius of warming by the end of this century under current climate policies.

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Right now across the U.S., drought persists, particularly in the northeast, where wildfires are burning because of the dry conditions. At the same time, some communities are still recovering from the catastrophic effects of hurricane season and the wind and water mash-up they wrought. In either case, water – both as a source of life and catastrophe – is perhaps more in the minds of people than ever before. 

The World Water Film Festival (WWFF), happening November 16 and 17 at the The Forum at Columbia University in New York City, offers ways to see water through a cinematic lens. “Films really allow you to make an emotional connection and see the impact that water has with people,” said Robert Strand, executive director of the non-profit festival.

Many of the films are documentaries that look at different communities and their local water issues. For example, Since the Spill documents the almost forgotten Mexican fishing communities that persist 14 years after the devastating Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Another short film, Muddy Waters, follows a group in Brazil who began to fish for garbage once their fish stock dramatically dwindled. 

The WWFF will showcase not only documentaries, but also narrative drama and comedies, even some experimental work. In addition to a film slate of more than 40 selections, there will be a series of talks and panels, and an exhibition space. 

“We’re allowing the different films and the different genres of films to take us to different people to inspire them to be water advocates,” said Strand. 

Actor Matthew Modine is an executive producer on two films in the festival. Sludge tells the story of groundwater contaminated by PFAS across farms in Maine, and how the farmers, in particular Fred Stone and his wife of Stone Ridge Farms, fought back. And Ripple Effect, a short film narrated by and featuring Modine that aims to become a series, searches out “wavemakers” around the world who are trying to make change happen now. Because time is of the essence. 

“There is greater urgency in the task at hand in less and less time,” Modine wrote via e-mail. “We know the damage we are doing, and we simply have to change our destructive behavior.”

Matthew Modine in a scene from Ripple Effect. Cinco Dedos Peliculas

Some of the footage from Ripple Effect takes place in California. Modine lived in San Diego for a while earlier in life, surfing at Imperial Beach. 

“Imperial Beach borders Tijuana, and the Tijuana River would occasionally close my surfing spots after a heavy rainstorm because of river pollution,” he wrote. “Today, the San Diego beaches, especially Imperial Beach, are closed sometimes for more than a hundred days a year. This is because of raw sewage, and God knows what has been dumped and ended up in the river. That has to stop. 

“Today, it is very common to see open sores on fish and cancer in seabirds and sea mammals, especially seals. It’s tragic.”

“PFAs are everywhere. Teflon is in the blood of everyone on the planet. Which means it’s probably in the blood of every animal,” Modine wrote. “Progress is being made to treat sewage, break down it, and remove PFAs from water. What’s the simplest and best way to prevent PFA’s? Prohibiting their manufacturing and stopping their use in consumer products. Why wouldn’t people be furious when they learn that PFAs are in things like dental floss? It’s like the manufacturing giants are actively trying to poison and kill people.” 

And while Modine might be the best-known name at the festival, other filmmakers are telling equally urgent stories. Ewa Ewart is a Polish-born filmmaker currently living in the UK and working for the BBC. Her film, Until the Last Drop, explores rivers and the freshwater crisis around the world. 

“Her film touches upon rivers and it shows the impact that communities can have if they rally around their water sources,” Strand said. 

The main feature over the two days will be Our Blue World, a followup to the Netflix documentary Brave Blue World. 

In a similar vein to Ripple Effect and Anne de Carbuccia’s Earth Protectors, the filmmakers travel the globe to seek out people exploring, studying and fighting for clean, fresh water. Liam Neeson narrates on the evolution of water over the billions of years of Earth’s history. 

There is a dramatic film, Texas Mermaid, which led to the organization Aqua Mermaid participating in the festival in the hopes of getting young people to realize that clean water is essential. 

“If I have a film and a little girl sees this story about her mermaids and it’s like, wait, what mermaids need clean water? And she’s inspired, then I will have done a good deed in this world,” Strand said.

While politics is not directly mentioned in the festival programming, Strand mentioned its impact on water issues. 

“What inspires me is that there are grassroots community organizations all over this world that are stepping up to do something about some of these problems,” he said. “It is really inspiring to see what people will be capable of if we pull together and rally around a common cause. And that cause being water.”

“If one person begins to take steps to repair a situation, it creates a ripple effect,” wrote Modine. “If a hundred people follow suit, it creates a powerful wave of positive change.”

Strand noted a key lesson learned from producing the third water film festival, which is the second affiliated with Columbia. “I am fully aware that the dollar is the language of value in many societies,” he said. “Things need to be profitable, right?” he said. “And at the same time, water needs to be at the center of a lot of decision-making, and it’s not. And the connection I’m seeing through different films that have been explored, and just being a part of this now for a few years, when water is not centered to a decision-making process, people don’t realize the cost that can come, that can be averted if we can do simple things.”

For more information: https://worldwaterff.org/

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