Groundwater use to reduce natural hazard susceptibilities and inequities in the metacrisis

Long-term thinking is broadly advocated for groundwater - the largest available freshwater resource that is essential for drinking water, irrigation and ecosystems around the world. Long-term thinking is crucial to support sustainability of this slowly renewed resource, but here we propose another crucial, novel and emerging approach for groundwater: short-term use over days and months during or after various natural hazards such as earthquakes, wildfires, floods and droughts. As natural hazards are compounded by other social, political and economic crises in the metacrisis, groundwater is emerging as a strategic solution that is inexpensive, speedy and distributed. We review emerging risks and successes while arguing for a shift of mindset, policy and planning as well as a deeply interdisciplinary and equity-driven approach incorporating disaster sociology, environmental justice, sustainability science and sociohydrology. We offer examples of hope, thought leadership and policy direction for hazards around the world that share a common solution: groundwater.