Study finds link between climate change and river flow worldwide
The study looked at a global level over the last 40 years and as such, didn't investigate effects at a local level.
Keystone / Leszek Szymanski
An international team led by the Federal Institute of Technology ETH Zurich analysed data from 7,250 water measuring stations around the world to find that changes in river flow in the last 40 years could only be the result of climate change.
This content was published on
2 minutes
ETH/swissinfo.ch/jdp
River flow is an important indicator of water availability. It depends on many factors related to land and water management such as the diversion of water for irrigation or the clearing of forests.
Until now globally visible changes in river flow had not been investigated using direct observations to determine whether they can be attributable to climate change or to water and land management.
The team led by ETH was able to break down the influence of various factors on river flow by analysing data from 7,250 water measuring stations. Computer simulations, using global hydrological models fed with observed climate data from the period studied (1971 to 2010), made it possible to analyse climate change alongside observed river flow.
In a second phase, additional water and land management were also included in their simulations in order to study the influence of these factors. This did not affect the result, however. “Changes in water and land management are evidently not the cause of global changes in rivers,” explained Lukas Gudmundsson, lead author of the study.
Their findings, published in the journal ScienceExternal link, show that river flow changed between 1971 and 2010 and that this was caused by climate change. The computer model simulations are consistent with the observed changes in river flow only when climate change is considered.
This is the first study that used direct observations to demonstrate that climate change has a globally visible influence on rivers. The hope is that the models developed and data collected, which is the largest global data set of river flow observations, could be used to inform measures on how to adapt to climate change.
Popular Stories
More
Swiss Politics
Swiss reject plans for bigger motorways and extra rights for landlords
Should raw milk sales be banned or should consumers decide?
Swiss food regulations do not allow raw milk to be sold for direct consumption. However, a loophole allows 400 raw milk vending machines to do just that.
Should Switzerland take measures to support its struggling industries?
Industrial policies are back in fashion, not only in the United States but also in the EU. Should Switzerland, where various industries are struggling, draw inspiration from such policies?
This content was published on
Swiss Black Friday revenues failed to live up to retail expectations. But sales throughout the week proved more successful.
This content was published on
The Swiss army will have CH 530 million more than expected for armaments investments after a parliamentary chamber approved the increase.
This content was published on
Swiss citizens could have access to an e-ID from 2026 as parliament has agreed to the idea in principle despite still having to iron out some minor issues.
Switzerland mulls S status restrictions for Ukrainian refugees
This content was published on
Switzerland’s parliament wants in future to restrict the issuance of Ukrainian S permits to refugees fleeing parts of the war-torn country.
Solar energy covers 11% of Switzerland’s electricity needs
This content was published on
Solar power covers eleven percent of the electricity demand in Switzerland. The industry's turnover for the current year is around CHF 3.7 billion, as shown by the first ever publication of the Swiss Solar Monitor.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
How Swiss cities are beating the heat
This content was published on
Why is it so much hotter in urban areas than in the countryside, and what are Swiss cities doing to tackle these “heat islands”?
This content was published on
Technologies that block solar radiation or remove CO2 could help tackle global warming. Switzerland is hoping the global community will explore them.
This content was published on
Anna Stünzi, president of the Swiss think-tank foraus, explains how Switzerland can contribute to sustainable and peaceful development in the Arctic.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.