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The water cycle over the Mediterranean

Video on the water cycle over the Mediterranean

Earlier on, you learnt about the water cycle and its relationships with the energy cycle and the climate. In this video, you will have a closer look at the water cycle in the Mediterranean region and how climate change is causing shifts in natural cycling processes.

The Mediterranean region only has 3% of the world’s freshwater resources, while it is home to 7.3% of the world’s population. Nearly 60% of the world’s water-poor people – those that survive on less than an average of 1000 cubic metres per person per year – live in southern Mediterranean countries and the Middle East alone. While numerous satellites measure individual components of the water cycle, it has never been studied as a whole over a particular region. However, thanks to a project funded by ESA that allowed scientists to merge satellite data from various partner space agencies, the full water cycle over the Mediterranean can be better understood.

Up next

In the next video and associated article, you will learn about the different carbon cycles and their importance to Earth’s climate.

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Understanding Climate Change using Satellite Data

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