Global water monitor: 2024 summary report

This third annual report builds on the work of previous years, summarising the state of the global water cycle in 2024, identifying key trends, and analysing major hydrological events. This summary report contains information on rainfall, air temperature, humidity, soil and groundwater conditions, vegetation condition, river flows, flooding, and lake volumes in 2024. Specifically, trends in the water cycle and some of the most important hydrological events of 2024 are interpreted and discussed. It also provides insights into extreme rainfall and temperatures. A clear message has been delivered: as the planet warms, water challenges are escalating, year after year. By trying to provide information on changes and events, this report aims to support informed decision-making to protect communities, infrastructure, and ecosystems in an increasingly volatile future. 

Some of the key findings include:

• Climate change is making water disasters worse.
• Global temperatures continue to increase rapidly.
• Both high rainfall and drought are becoming more extreme.
• Water-related disasters caused major damage in 2024.
• Floods and drought impacted different parts of Africa, and severe drought gripped the Amazon Basin.
• The outlook for 2025 shows increased risks.