Rivers around the world are losing dissolved oxygen, an essential condition for healthy freshwater ecosystems. A 2026 study published in Science Advances analysed 21,439 rivers across the world using more than 3.4 million satellite images from 1985 to 2023 and found that 78.8% experienced declining dissolved oxygen levels. Globally, river oxygen declined at an average rate of 0.045 milligrams per litre per decade.
Source: Global Climate Risks Platform
Global Climate Risks Platform
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Global Risks: A Worldwide Climate Challenge
Explore the full spectrum of climate risks threatening the planet, from extreme weather and rising seas to health and economic disruptions, all driven by a warming world.- Health: The Global Climate Risks Platform's Health Risks section explores how climate change intensifies health threats worldwide.
- Extreme Weather: Explore how Arctic warming contributes to more frequent and intense extreme weather events worldwide — including wildfires, droughts, heatwaves, cold snaps, and heavy rainfall leading to floods.
- Sea Level Rise: Sea level rise, driven by melting ice and warming water, threatens coastal cities, ecosystems, and millions of lives through flooding and land loss.
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