COP29. Climate change affecting vital water cycle in the planet

By Stefanie Stahlhofen and Lisa Zengarini

The 29th annual United Nations Climate Summit (COP29) started in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, on Monday.

From November 11 to 22, delegates from nearly 200 countries will discuss ways to limit long-term global temperature rises to 1.5C set by the Paris Agreement in 2015 and prepare for future climate change. The main focus of the negotiations will be on climate finance, a cornerstone of global climate action.

One of the most evident effects of global warming is a dramatic change in water patterns across the world. As global temperature rises, glaciers, permafrost and snow mountain cryosphere is becoming increasingly fragile. Water supplies are more variable and there is an increased threat from flooding and natural disasters, as shown by this year’s extreme weather events that have hit several parts of the world, including Valencia two weeks ago.  

No life without water

This crucial issue was the focus of an international conversation titled “No Life without Water” organized in Rome by the German Embassy to the Holy See ahead of COP29.

Vatican News spoke with one of the participants, geographer Professor Mariele Evers, Chairholder of UNESCO Chair in Human-Water-Systems, who is an expert in eco-hydrology and water resources management.

Climate change aggravating droughts and floods 

In the interview she reiterated the urgency of bold action to address the climate crisis which, she explained, is aggravating droughts and floods in vast and densely populated areas of the world, including India and China, affecting the livelihoods of millions of people who live on agriculture.

Professor Evers also mentioned the problem of overexploitation, mismanagement and pollution of vital water resources, due to mining and other human activities. Unless these problems are addressed, she said, “there won’t be enough water for the next generation,” thus increasing hunger,  migration and other problems.

Water is a transmitter of climate change but also a crucial mitigator

Professor Evers further highlighted the crucial importance of water in climate mitigation: “Water, she explained,” is a transmitter of climate change, but is also essential for healthy ecosystems such as forests and wetlands that can store a lot of carbon. “We need healthy ecosystems to maintain this functionality so that they can act as a sink of carbon and not become a source of carbon release,” she said.