Member-only story

The Global Water Crisis Is Here

Droughts and floods are reshaping the world.

Angus Peterson
Edge of Collapse
9 min readJan 13, 2025

--

What happens when the water cycle, a fundamental force of life, begins to break? Across the globe, climate change is driving extreme rainfall, intensifying droughts, and disrupting the delicate balance that has sustained civilizations for millennia. The result is a world lurching between two extremes — floods that drown entire cities and droughts that turn fertile land into dust.

The past decade has shown just how catastrophic this hydrological instability can be. Pakistan’s 2022 monsoon floods submerged one-third of the country, displacing millions and leaving lasting devastation. Meanwhile, the Colorado River, a vital water source for 40 million Americans, is drying up, forcing states into emergency negotiations over dwindling supplies. These crises are not isolated — they are symptoms of a system breaking under the weight of climate change.

Rising temperatures increase evaporation rates, fueling heavier storms and prolonging dry spells. Once-reliable seasonal patterns have become erratic, leaving governments, farmers, and city planners struggling to adapt. Scientists warn that this instability is only accelerating, pushing global water infrastructure beyond its limits.

--

--

Edge of Collapse
Edge of Collapse

Published in Edge of Collapse

Becoming collapse aware in the age of the permanent polycrisis.

Angus Peterson
Angus Peterson

Written by Angus Peterson

Becoming collapse aware in the age of the permanent polycrisis. Follow to get all the new stories: https://anguspeterson.medium.com/subscribe

Responses (8)