A bridge spans the Tigris river, which is drying up due to climate change, near the Makhoul dam in northern Iraq. AFP
A bridge spans the Tigris river, which is drying up due to climate change, near the Makhoul dam in northern Iraq. AFP
A bridge spans the Tigris river, which is drying up due to climate change, near the Makhoul dam in northern Iraq. AFP
A bridge spans the Tigris river, which is drying up due to climate change, near the Makhoul dam in northern Iraq. AFP

World

Five billion face inadequate water access due to severe climate change

Nearly 20 million people in Iraq, Syria and Iran faced hardship from drought, UN report says

Mina Aldroubi
Mina Aldroubi

November 29, 2022

  • English
  • Arabic

More than five billion people are expected to face a shortage of access to water at least once a month each year by 2050 as a result of extremes such as flooding and drought, the UN said on Tuesday.

Climate change is reducing river levels and melting glaciers as global temperatures are more than 1.1°C higher than in pre-industrial times, according to a report by the UN's World Meteorological Organsiation (WMO).

Large areas around the world have been drier than usual last year, when precipitation patterns were influenced by climate change, the report said.

READ MORE

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The report, named The State of Global Water Resources for 2021, is the first comprehensive review of water resources by the WMO.

It will be published on an annual basis starting from this year due to calls for more accurate data in a time of increasing demand and limited supplies, WMO said.

"Currently, 3.6 billion people face inadequate access to water at least a month per year and this is expected to increase to more than five billion by 2050," said the report.

From 2001 to 2018, 74 per cent of all natural disasters were water-related, according to UN studies.

Last year, all regions suffered devastating water extremes, the report said.

Record-breaking floods in western Europe and the Amazon were reported, while water levels in rivers in Paraguay and southern Brazil dropped to an all-time low.

Major river basins in the Americas and central Africa saw water volumes shrink. Rivers in northern India and southern Africa saw above average increases.

Flooding around the world in 2022 - in pictures

Vehicles negotiate floodwater from the Bundaburrah Creek in New South Wales, Australia, on October 11, 2022. Rains have eased but New South Wales is still on high alert with another rain onslaught set to hit the state which has already seen repeated flood events. EPA
Vehicles negotiate floodwater from the Bundaburrah Creek in New South Wales, Australia, on October 11, 2022. Rains have eased but New South Wales is still on high alert with another rain onslaught set to hit the state which has already seen repeated flood events. EPA
A villager sits on the roof of a flooded home in Lhokseumawe, in Indonesia's Aceh province, on October 10, 2022. AFP
A villager sits on the roof of a flooded home in Lhokseumawe, in Indonesia's Aceh province, on October 10, 2022. AFP
A man carries an empty water tank through a flooded area after the impact of tropical storm Julia, in Progreso, Honduras, on October 9, 2022. Reuters
A man carries an empty water tank through a flooded area after the impact of tropical storm Julia, in Progreso, Honduras, on October 9, 2022. Reuters
Residents walk through the debris left by flooding caused by a river that overflowed in Las Tejerias, Venezuela, on October 9, 2022. AP Photo
Residents walk through the debris left by flooding caused by a river that overflowed in Las Tejerias, Venezuela, on October 9, 2022. AP Photo
A man is reunited with his dog, rescued by neighbours from the mud, after flooding in Las Tejerias, Venezuela, on October 9, 2022. AP Photo
A man is reunited with his dog, rescued by neighbours from the mud, after flooding in Las Tejerias, Venezuela, on October 9, 2022. AP Photo
A woman grieves following a boat accident in Anambra, Nigeria, on October 7, 2022. Seventy-six people are missing after the boat capsized in a flooded community in Nigeria's south-east Anambra state, emergency officials said. AP
A woman grieves following a boat accident in Anambra, Nigeria, on October 7, 2022. Seventy-six people are missing after the boat capsized in a flooded community in Nigeria's south-east Anambra state, emergency officials said. AP
People stranded following several days of downpours in Kogi Nigeria, on October 6, 2022. Thousands remained stranded after major connecting roads to other parts of the West African nation were submerged in floods, locals and authorities said. AP Photo
People stranded following several days of downpours in Kogi Nigeria, on October 6, 2022. Thousands remained stranded after major connecting roads to other parts of the West African nation were submerged in floods, locals and authorities said. AP Photo
A resident carries a water container and money while wading through flood water caused by typhoon Noru in Bulacan province, north of Manila, Philippines, on September 26, 2022. EPA
A resident carries a water container and money while wading through flood water caused by typhoon Noru in Bulacan province, north of Manila, Philippines, on September 26, 2022. EPA
A man sets up camps for people displaced from flooded areas, on the outskirts of Karachi in Pakistan, on September 24, 2022. According to disaster management authorities, flash floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains have killed more than 1,200 people across Pakistan since June 2022. EPA
A man sets up camps for people displaced from flooded areas, on the outskirts of Karachi in Pakistan, on September 24, 2022. According to disaster management authorities, flash floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains have killed more than 1,200 people across Pakistan since June 2022. EPA
People take shelter inside a school in the aftermath of floods in Karachi, Pakistan, on September 21, 2022. EPA
People take shelter inside a school in the aftermath of floods in Karachi, Pakistan, on September 21, 2022. EPA
People stand next to an eroded section on the banks of river Padma in Bangladesh on September 18, 2022. AFP
People stand next to an eroded section on the banks of river Padma in Bangladesh on September 18, 2022. AFP
People affected by floods move to higher ground in Bajara Sehwan, Pakistan, on September 9, 2022. EPA
People affected by floods move to higher ground in Bajara Sehwan, Pakistan, on September 9, 2022. EPA
A high wave caused by Typhoon Hinnamnor in Pohang, South Korea, on September 6, 2022. Reuters
A high wave caused by Typhoon Hinnamnor in Pohang, South Korea, on September 6, 2022. Reuters
Firefighters and military officials rescue one of the missing residents from the underground parking lot of an apartment building which was submerged in heavy rain caused by Typhoon Hinnamno, in Pohang, South Korea, on September 7, 2022. EPA
Firefighters and military officials rescue one of the missing residents from the underground parking lot of an apartment building which was submerged in heavy rain caused by Typhoon Hinnamno, in Pohang, South Korea, on September 7, 2022. EPA
A flooded area following overnight heavy rainfall in Bangalore, India, on September 5, 2022. EPA
A flooded area following overnight heavy rainfall in Bangalore, India, on September 5, 2022. EPA
People pull a car on a flooded road following torrential rains in Bengaluru, India, on September 5, 2022. Reuters
People pull a car on a flooded road following torrential rains in Bengaluru, India, on September 5, 2022. Reuters
Heavy floods hit in the village of Slatina in Bulgaria on September 5, 2022. Rain caused floods in half of Bulgaria - both in the south and in the north. EPA
Heavy floods hit in the village of Slatina in Bulgaria on September 5, 2022. Rain caused floods in half of Bulgaria - both in the south and in the north. EPA
Aerial view of makeshift tents for people displaced due to flooding after heavy monsoon rains in Balochistan province in Pakistan, on September 4, 2022. AFP
Aerial view of makeshift tents for people displaced due to flooding after heavy monsoon rains in Balochistan province in Pakistan, on September 4, 2022. AFP
People cross the water during a flood in Al-Managil, Sudan, on August 23, 2022. Reuters
People cross the water during a flood in Al-Managil, Sudan, on August 23, 2022. Reuters
Flood water in the village of Makaylab in Sudan's River Nile state, on August 23, 2022. Sudan declared a state of emergency due to floods in six states, including River Nile. AFP
Flood water in the village of Makaylab in Sudan's River Nile state, on August 23, 2022. Sudan declared a state of emergency due to floods in six states, including River Nile. AFP
Residents clean a street covered with mud following floods in Oe city, in north-eastern Japan, on August 4, 2022. Large areas of north-eastern and central Japan were hit by torrential rainfall, and more than 100,000 residents were asked to evacuate. EPA
Residents clean a street covered with mud following floods in Oe city, in north-eastern Japan, on August 4, 2022. Large areas of north-eastern and central Japan were hit by torrential rainfall, and more than 100,000 residents were asked to evacuate. EPA
A dining room inside a residence at the site of a flash flood in the Iranian village of Zayegan, north of Tehran, on August 2, 2022. EPA
A dining room inside a residence at the site of a flash flood in the Iranian village of Zayegan, north of Tehran, on August 2, 2022. EPA
Flooded streets of Kalba, in the UAE. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
Flooded streets of Kalba, in the UAE. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
Flooding in Fujairah city. Antonie Robertson/The National
Flooding in Fujairah city. Antonie Robertson/The National
Flooding in Fujairah city. Antonie Robertson/The National
Flooding in Fujairah city. Antonie Robertson/The National
View of damage after flooding in Niardo, Italy, on July 28, 2022. EPA
View of damage after flooding in Niardo, Italy, on July 28, 2022. EPA
Homes submerged under flood waters from the North Fork of the Kentucky River in Jackson, Kentucky, on July 28, 2022. AFP
Homes submerged under flood waters from the North Fork of the Kentucky River in Jackson, Kentucky, on July 28, 2022. AFP
Rescuers work following a flood in Imamzadeh Davoud village in the north of Tehran, on July 28, 2022. Reuters
Rescuers work following a flood in Imamzadeh Davoud village in the north of Tehran, on July 28, 2022. Reuters
Rescuers work in Imamzadeh Davoud village in Iran on July 28, 2022. Reuters
Rescuers work in Imamzadeh Davoud village in Iran on July 28, 2022. Reuters
A house that was shifted off its foundation following a flash flood rests on top of a vehicle, on July 14, 2022, in Whitewood, Virginia. AP Photo
A house that was shifted off its foundation following a flash flood rests on top of a vehicle, on July 14, 2022, in Whitewood, Virginia. AP Photo
Volunteers in an inflatable rescue boat in Camden, in Sydney, Australia, on March 8, 2022. EPA
Volunteers in an inflatable rescue boat in Camden, in Sydney, Australia, on March 8, 2022. EPA
An aerial view of flooded streets in Arbil, the capital of Iraq's northern Kurdish autonomous region, after flash floods on January 13, 2022. AFP
An aerial view of flooded streets in Arbil, the capital of Iraq's northern Kurdish autonomous region, after flash floods on January 13, 2022. AFP

The report highlighted that inconsistent measurements and a lack of data collected on the ground made it hard to understand some of the effects that climate change was having on water systems.

At Cop27, the recent UN climate change conference held in Egypt, governments were urged to further integrate water into adaptation efforts.

The WMO secretary, Prof Petteri Taalas, said climate change effects were usually felt through water in the form of more intense and frequent droughts, flooding, erratic seasonal rainfall and melting glaciers.

"With cascading effects on economies, ecosystems and all aspects of our daily lives, there is insufficient understanding of changes in the distribution, quantity and quality of freshwater resources," he said.

Extreme drought was experienced in 2020 in Iran, Iraq and Syria, followed by a warm winter that continued into last year.

Up to 12 million people in Iraq and Syria and 4.8 million in Iran were affected by the droughts. Protests directly resulted in deadly clashes in the Khuzestan province.

Drought in the Horn of Africa has led to a devastating food crisis affecting 18 million people. Not even intense rainfall between December 2020 to February 2021, typically the dry season in the region, helped alleviate the situation.

On the other hand, the report said about 1.9 billion people lived in areas where drinking water was supplied by glaciers and snow melt but these glaciers are melting increasingly fast.

The report said governments must increase their actions in introducing of early warning systems for floods and droughts to help reduce the effects of water extremes.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Alaan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Parthi%20Duraisamy%20and%20Karun%20Kurien%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%247%20million%20raised%20in%20total%20%E2%80%94%20%242.5%20million%20in%20a%20seed%20round%20and%20%244.5%20million%20in%20a%20pre-series%20A%20round%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode

Directors: Raj & DK

Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon

Rating: 4/5

Infobox

Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier, Al Amerat, Oman

The two finalists advance to the next stage of qualifying, in Malaysia in August

Results

UAE beat Iran by 10 wickets

Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by eight wickets

Oman beat Bahrain by nine wickets

Qatar beat Maldives by 106 runs

Monday fixtures

UAE v Kuwait, Iran v Saudi Arabia, Oman v Qatar, Maldives v Bahrain

BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES

SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities

Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails

Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies

Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments

Cryopreservation: A timeline
  1. Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
  2. Ovarian tissue surgically removed
  3. Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
  4. Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
  5. Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
La Mer lowdown

La Mer beach is open from 10am until midnight, daily, and is located in Jumeirah 1, well after Kite Beach. Some restaurants, like Cupagahwa, are open from 8am for breakfast; most others start at noon. At the time of writing, we noticed that signs for Vicolo, an Italian eatery, and Kaftan, a Turkish restaurant, indicated that these two restaurants will be open soon, most likely this month. Parking is available, as well as a Dh100 all-day valet option or a Dh50 valet service if you’re just stopping by for a few hours.
 

KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
On Women's Day
On Women's Day
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

Bullet%20Train
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20David%20Leitch%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Brad%20Pitt%2C%20Aaron%20Taylor-Johnson%2C%20Brian%20Tyree%20Henry%2C%20Sandra%20Bullock%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20SupplyVan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELaunch%20year%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2029%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20MRO%20and%20e-commerce%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Seed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO

Euro 2020 qualifier

Ukraine 2 (Yaremchuk 06', Yarmolenko 27')

Portugal 1 (Ronaldo 72' pen)

Fines for littering

In Dubai:

Dh200 for littering or spitting in the Dubai Metro

Dh500 for throwing cigarette butts or chewing gum on the floor, or littering from a vehicle. 
Dh1,000 for littering on a beach, spitting in public places, throwing a cigarette butt from a vehicle

In Sharjah and other emirates
Dh500 for littering - including cigarette butts and chewing gum - in public places and beaches in Sharjah
Dh2,000 for littering in Sharjah deserts
Dh500 for littering from a vehicle in Ras Al Khaimah
Dh1,000 for littering from a car in Abu Dhabi
Dh1,000 to Dh100,000 for dumping waste in residential or public areas in Al Ain
Dh10,000 for littering at Ajman's beaches 

Brief scores:

Kashima Antlers 0

River Plate 4

Zuculini 24', Martinez 73', 90 2', Borre 89' (pen)

Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EXare%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJanuary%2018%2C%202021%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPadmini%20Gupta%2C%20Milind%20Singh%2C%20Mandeep%20Singh%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20Raised%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2410%20million%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E28%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eundisclosed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMS%26amp%3BAD%20Ventures%2C%20Middle%20East%20Venture%20Partners%2C%20Astra%20Amco%2C%20the%20Dubai%20International%20Financial%20Centre%2C%20Fintech%20Fund%2C%20500%20Startups%2C%20Khwarizmi%20Ventures%2C%20and%20Phoenician%20Funds%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
City's slump

L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1

While you're here
The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo hybrid

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 390bhp

Torque: 400Nm

Price: Dh340,000 ($92,579

Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule

 

  • 1st Test India won by 304 runs at Galle
  • 2nd Test Thursday-Monday at Colombo
  • 3rd Test August 12-16 at Pallekele
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Updated: November 29, 2022, 12:08 PM`
Climate change