More than half of the world's largest lakes are shrinking. Here's why that matters

NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO • May 20, 2023

Human activities have caused more than half of the world's largest lakes to shrink dramatically over the last 30 years, according to a new study published in the journal Science. The implications pose risks to human health, economies and the natural world. Combined, researchers found, the global decline in water storage equivalent to 17 Lake Meads — the largest reservoir in the U.S. People overusing water for agriculture and development, and human-caused climate change are the primary drivers of the decline, particularly in natural lakes. "Roughly one-quarter of the world's population lives in a basin with a drying lake," said said Fangfang Yao, the study's lead author. "So the potential impact could be significant."