Worldwide decline in freshwater resources accelerating, according to new research

Published on 25-Jul-2025

A groundbreaking study, led by Earth system scientist Hrishikesh Chandanpurkar from FLAME University in India and published in the scientific journal Science Advances, has shed light on a global crisis that is as urgent as it is complex: the unprecedented loss of freshwater on Earth's continents.

The research, which utilises data from the US-German GRACE and GRACE-Follow On satellite missions and related studies on terrestrial water storage, reveals that since 2002, Earth's continents have been undergoing a dramatic transformation marked by substantial freshwater loss. This transformation affects 75% of the global population, who inhabit regions experiencing continuous freshwater losses, impacting 101 countries around the world.

The crisis has significant implications for the world's oceans, as groundwater reserves contribute more extensively to sea level rise than the melting of glaciers and ice caps. Groundwater depletion accounts for approximately 68% of the total freshwater losses on land over the past two decades.

The study identifies four expansive "mega-drying" regions exclusively located in the northern hemisphere. These regions encompass vast and diverse geographic expanses, including North America, Northern Russia, the Middle East-North Africa (MENA) to Pan-Eurasia region, and others.

Strategic water management aimed at conserving groundwater and safeguarding terrestrial water storage will slow sea level rise impacts. Adjusting water governance to address continental drying can provide an immediate and impactful lever to protect freshwater resources.

Terrestrial water storage, which includes all forms of surface water, is decreasing at an alarming rate, roughly twice the size of California's landmass each year. The research lays the groundwork for targeted interventions that can ameliorate water scarcity and promote sustainable development across drying continental regions.

The study serves as a "planetary wake-up call" regarding the crisis of continental drying and freshwater loss. The implications of sustained continental drying are profound and multifaceted, threatening global food security, biodiversity, and coastal infrastructure and ecosystems.

Addressing the crisis will require an all-hands-on-deck approach, leveraging the best scientific tools and the strongest policy frameworks. The research findings are relevant to keywords such as climatology, hydrogeology, groundwater, water resources, watersheds, oceans, and earth systems science.

This crisis is primarily driven by a complex interplay of climate change, unsustainable groundwater extraction, and worsening drought conditions. The research supports ongoing and future assessments by organisations like the World Bank, which plans to incorporate these findings into flagship reports.

The acceleration in drying patterns outpaces wetting trends worldwide, as confirmed by the US-German GRACE and GRACE-Follow On (GRACE-FO) satellite missions. The study examining the unusual evaporation of continents, disappearance of freshwater resources, and the increasing contribution of land to sea level rise underscores a crisis that demands immediate attention and action.

Worldwide decline in freshwater resources accelerating, according to new research