Earth's continents drying at alarming rate, NASA's data shows

The Earth is experiencing an unprecedented loss of freshwater across its continents.

- ASMI MUKHERJEE

Data from NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites revealed that land-based water reserves have been declining at an accelerating rate since 2002. The findings show that drying trends are now affecting regions which were previously considered stable or even improving in water retention capacity. Scientists warn that 75 per cent of the global population currently lives in areas facing freshwater shortages, with major consequences for agriculture, sanitation, and climate change adaptation.