43% of the world's 457 important natural lakes have dried up - Science

In 1992-2020, natural freshwater resources, including natural lakes, decreased by 53%.

According to the results of the research published by Science magazine, 43% of the world's 457 important natural lakes have dried up. Also, the situation with the lakes, which contain 87% of the world's fresh water, is alarming.

The study mentioned that lake waters are extremely important for climate stability, and human activities such as climate change, dams and interference with river flow have led to a decrease in water resources.

The study noted that 53 percent of freshwater resources, including lakes, have declined between 1992 and 2020. One-third of the lost important natural lakes are located in the Inner Tibetan Plateau, and most of them have dried up due to excessive over-exploitation of groundwater for agriculture.

During this time, the amount of water suitable for drinking has decreased by 602.28 cubic kilometers.