Mexican climate spans from the hot, dry conditions of the northwestern Sonoran Desert where annual average rainfall is less than 100mm, to the wet, tropical climates that characterize the forest regions of southern Mexico, especially Chiapas and the Gulf coasts, where average annual rainfall can reach 2000mm.

Among this great diversity of conditions, there are ecosystems that, naturally, are adapted to a dry season that can last up to 9 months in many cases. However, climate change is severely affecting these patterns, causing more severe droughts each year. Mexico experienced one of the most widespread and intense droughts in decades in 2021. Almost 85 percent of the country faces drought conditions as of April 2021. Large reservoirs across the country are at exceptionally low levels, depleting water resources for drinking, farming and irrigation.

In a recent report on global risks from the World Economic Forum, the water crisis appears as the third global risk with the greatest impact, and is also among the risks most likely to materialize. Furthermore, the water crisis is associated with two major global risks: the occurrence of extreme weather events and the failure to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

In the country, practically all the basins of the center and north of the country, in addition to the basins of the Valley of Mexico, have high levels of exploitation or overexploitation. It should be noted that the center, north and northwest of the country have only 31% of the total available water in the country, but it concentrates 77% of the total population of Mexico, which further aggravates the problem.

The main challenges to achieve water security are mainly manifested in water scarcity, environmental deterioration of basins and aquifers, contamination of water bodies, the adverse effects of extreme hydrometeorological events and growing conflicts over water. The main factors that induce or increase these risks to water security are: demographic processes, which include population growth and urbanization; the need for greater food production, as a result of the growing demand for food caused both by population growth and by changes in diet; the increased demand for water for energy production, the effects of climate change and poor water management.

The water problem is urgent to attend to, but we can all help by reducing our consumption by carrying out our daily activities, using it more efficiently, consuming local products, minimal changes in our lifestyle but that make a big difference.

Bibliography:

Liverman, DM. 1999. Vulnerability and adaptation to drought in Mexico. Natural Resources Journal 39:99-115.
Martínez Austria, PF; Díaz-Delgado, C; & Moeller-Chavez, G. 2019. Seguridad hídrica en México: diagnóstico general y desafíos principales. Ingeniería del agua 23(2):107-121.
NASA Earth Observatory. 2021. Widespread Drought in Mexico. https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/148270/widespread-drought-in-mexico.
World Economic Forum. 2017. The Global Risks Report 2017. Geneva: World Economic Forum.