INVC NEWS
New York : According to a recent report, the reckless pumping of groundwater by humans has caused the Earth to tilt about 80 cm to the east at a rate of 4.36 cm per year in less than two decades. This information is based on climate models, and it was previously estimated that humans pumped 2,150 gigatons of groundwater from 1993 to 2010, which is equivalent to more than 6 millimeters (0.24 inches) of sea level rise. However, confirming this estimate is challenging.
Research indicates that most of the groundwater depletion has occurred in two specific regions of the world: the western region of America and northwestern India. In India, particularly in Punjab and Haryana, groundwater has been extensively used for several years, with water often being drained from these areas into rivers and seas. The study, led by Wen Seo, a geophysicist at Seoul National University, suggests that the redistribution of groundwater has the most significant impact on the drift of the Earth’s rotational pole.
Seo further explains that the Earth’s rotation pole experiences considerable changes, and their study demonstrates that among climate-related factors, the redistribution of groundwater has the largest influence on the drift of the rotational pole. The specific location from where groundwater is extracted plays a crucial role in how much it can affect the polar drift, and the redistribution of water from the mid-latitudes has a major impact on the rotational pole.
Seo suggests that countries’ efforts to slow down groundwater depletion, particularly in sensitive areas, could potentially reverse the changes in polar drift. However, achieving such a conservation approach would require consistent efforts over several decades. Water is an essential resource for life on Earth, and the world relies on groundwater extraction to meet its needs. However, excessive extraction has had detrimental effects on the condition of the Earth.
