The number of lakes on our planet has increased substantially in recent decades, according to a unique global survey of 3.4 million lakes that the University of Copenhagen has taken part in. There has been a particular increase in the number of small lakes, which unfortunately, emit large amounts of greenhouse gas. The development is of great importance for Earth's carbon account, global ecosystems, and human access to water resources. The survey shows that between 1984 and 2019, the area of global lake surfaces grew by over 46,000 km2 -- slightly more than the surface area of Denmark.