New method attributes Western US groundwater loss to major carbon emitters

A new measurement approach links about one-third of climate-related groundwater loss in California's Central Valley from 2003 to 2024 to emissions from the world's largest fossil fuel producers. The 'Carbon Majors' group of 122 corporations is identified as a key contributor. This method could help assign responsibility for regional water crises.

The research introduces a novel accounting technique that traces climate-driven water depletion back to specific industrial sources. By linking atmospheric emissions to hydrological outcomes, scientists can now quantify how much of the Central Valley's shrinking groundwater reserves stem from the activities of a defined set of 122 major fossil fuel corporations.

This attribution framework spans more than two decades of data, covering 2003 through 2024. The findings suggest that roughly one-third of the region's climate-related water loss can be traced to these producers. Beyond California, the methodology may offer a template for evaluating how global emissions contribute to localized environmental stresses elsewhere.