Water Resources Archives - State of the Planet

Glaciers in Canada Found To Be Thicker Than Previously Suggested

A new study that collected ice thickness data for a number of glaciers concluded they are 38% thicker than previous estimates, with implications for water availability.

by |November 19, 2020

Chilean Organization Hopes to Write Glacier Protection Into Chile’s New Constitution

Fundación Glaciares Chilenos is working to fill a gaping hole in Chilean environmental policy.

by |July 31, 2020

National Climate Assessment: Will U.S. Water Problems Worsen?

Upmanu Lall is director of the Columbia Water Center, and the lead author of the new U.S. National Climate Assessment’s chapter on water resources. The report paints a dire picture of the nation’s climate future. We spoke with Lall about the outlook for water supplies, quality and infrastructure.

by |November 26, 2018

How We Can All Make Waves: Earth Day Reflections from Columbia Water Center

Members of Columbia Water Center share what Earth Day means to them, and offer ways – large and small – that we can all advocate for water and a healthier planet.

by |April 20, 2018

In a Warmer World, Expect the Wet to Get Wetter, and the Dry, Drier

As the world warms due to human-induced climate change, many scientists have been projecting that global rainfall patterns will shift. In the latest such study, two leading researchers map out how seasonal shifts may affect water resources across the planet.

by |May 31, 2017

Connecting Space to Village in West Africa

A new project, SERVIR-West Africa, will use space-based climate, weather land cover, and other NASA satellite data to address issues such as food security and the availability of fresh water in Ghana, Burkina Faso, Senegal and Niger.

How to Feed Everyone—and Protect the Environment

More than 500 leaders in agricultural research and organizations from 67 countries came together for the 2nd International Conference on Global Food Security to discuss how we can achieve global food security while reconciling demands on the environment.

by |November 17, 2015

Overuse of Water by Indian Farmers Threatens Supply

Convincing farmers that it’s worth it to reduce their water consumption will rest on our ability to help develop local groups to manage aquifers at the community-level.

by |April 14, 2015
display at Three Gorges Dam Museum in Chongqing

Mekong Delta and Three Gorges Dam: World’s First Climate Change Resettlements?

Many resettlers are economically better off, but the dislocations remain significant, especially for older resettlers, who have a harder time getting work in the newly developed industrial sector. Although the plight of some resettlers has been quite difficult (one older man competed fiercely to serve as a porter for us for the royal sum of $6), and there are stories of suicide in some resettler communities, it is hard to separate the problems they face from the larger dislocations that are so prevalent in 21st century China.

by |March 6, 2014