Why water matters, even in temperate Europe?

On a rainy day such as today, why care about water resources in our moderate climates? 

After all, for instance in France, it has been raining (and snowing) so much these last months; water tables are replenished as highlighted by BRGM's latest update: France is blue, flush with water. With more than 900 mm of rain in Paris, 2024 was the wettest year in its history. No wonder, political priorities have shifted…

Yet only 18 months ago, the picture was dramatically different. A simple look at the very same update of BRGM showed a thirsty, feverish, France, with depleted water tables. 

Was it just a scare, a blip in history or is it a pattern that will aggravate over time? 

Alas scientific evidence highlights significant shifts in weather patterns: "13% of cities had flipped from a historically drier climate to extreme wet conditions, including Lahore in Pakistan and Bogotá in Colombia... By contrast, cities such as Madrid and Hong Kong (and to a lesser extent Paris) were among the 7% of big urban areas in the study that had shifted from a wetter to an extremely dry climate" (Financial Times, https://on.ft.com/4bHv6ps).

Not only is the pattern changing, but also becoming more volatile: « climate change is leading to more intense rainfall, as every degree of warming of the atmosphere means it has the capacity to hold 7% more water» and «weather-related disasters such as flooding and drought have increased by 400% in the last 50 years».

The call to action is clear. It is equally urgent. Because it takes time and resources to build resilient water infrastructure, to produce alternative sources of water and to protect water resources against increasing and diversifying pollution. 

And time is running out.

Let’s not forget: there is no substitute to water. 

Sources: 

BRGM, https://lnkd.in/eyybgdrd

WaterAid, https://lnkd.in/e6U2y9Vg