Rising Droughts Threaten Agriculture 316p18 Energy, and Ecosystems Worldwide

Extreme droughts, worsening with climate change, challenge global agriculture and ecosystems. 4x5b5f

Written by Gadgets 360 Staff | Updated: 20 January 2025 21:00 IST

Rising Droughts Threaten Agriculture, Energy, and Ecosystems Worldwide

Photo Credit: Pixabay/Seaq68 2q5l72

Escalating droughts are disrupting agriculture, energy production, and ecosystems around the globe

Highlights

Droughts have expanded by 50,000 sq km annually since 1979
Climate change, increased temperatures, and rainfall shifts worsen
Tropical forests and woodlands show resilience to short-term droughts

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Extreme droughts lasting several years have become increasingly frequent and severe over the past four decades, leading to significant disruptions in agriculture, ecosystems. These prolonged dry periods have covered larger areas each year, as highlighted by recent meteorological assessments. The findings underscore the rising threats posed by climate change, with regions like northern Chile enduring a 14-year drought and southern Australia and parts of the United States also experiencing extensive dry spells. This intensification of droughts presents a growing challenge for environmental and economic sustainability worldwide.

Drought Trends and Contributing Factors 2m1655

According to a forests may face prolonged damage due to severe water shortages.

Ecological and Global Impacts 96a3t

Observations detailed in the study suggest that tropical forests and colder-climate woodlands exhibit some resilience to short-term droughts but suffer irreversible effects under extreme conditions. Field evaluations in Chile's Aconcagua region have revealed abandoned farmland and damaged plantations. Postdoctoral researcher Liangzhi Chen from WSL described the drought inventory, developed using high-resolution CHELSA climate data, as the most detailed compilation of drought events over the last 40 years. Philipp Brun, a co-author of the study, has pointed to rising global temperatures as a key factor exacerbating these droughts by increasing evaporation rates and altering rainfall distribution.

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The research provides crucial insights for policymakers and environmental planners to prepare for and mitigate the effects of long-term droughts in vulnerable regions.

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