A new interactive mapping tool consisting of 3 million satellite images collected over the past 32 years and which was co-produced by the European Commission, has recently being launched.

The mapping tool was developed by the Commission’s Joint Research Centre and Google Earth Engine. This new online interactive mapping tool, the Global Surface Water Explorer, will be accessible to everyone. It will be utilised to improve European and global policies on climate change and water management among other functions.

The tool is capable of highlighting various changes in the earth’s surface water via maps; the maps can also reveal whether the changes are linked to human activities such as the construction of dams, river diversion and unregulated water use or not. Some changes can be attributed to humans while other changes have occurred as a result of climate change impacts, including droughts and accelerated snow and glacier melt.

According to those maps already studied, the overall amount of surface water has increased globally, but not equally – there have been extensive losses in specific regions of Asia. This has raised serious questions around water security in certain regions.

There has been an increase in surface water in Europe over the past twenty-odd years due to the construction of dams and changes in the management and storage of surface water; the opposite has occurred in parts of Asia, where massive losses have been recorded. What is frightening is that in excess of 70% of the net loss is concentrated in just five countries: Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan.

Differences have also been recorded in Australia, Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada Oregon and Utah. Globally, almost 90 000 km² of land – an area the size of Portugal – have vanished altogether, and over 72 000 km² have gone from being present all year round to being present for only a few months of the year. These losses have not only raised questions around water security, but have also raised serious questions concerning transboundary water management.

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