Droughts lasting multiple years are becoming more common and extreme around the globe, expanding by about 50,000 square kilometres annually
Severe droughts that persist for years have grown hotter, drier and larger since the 1980s. These long-lasting droughts – some of which are extreme enough to be classified as “Rising temperatures linked to climate change have increased the risk of drought because warmer air can hold more moisture, boosting evaporation from the land.
The droughts have also affected a larger part of the globe, with the area affected by the 500 most severe drought events each year expanding by about 50,000 square kilometres annually. “That’s an area bigger than Switzerland,” says Karger. Satellite images of greenness in the areas affected by drought also showed some ecosystems became browner, indicating the drier conditions were having an effect. The most dramatic shift was in temperate grasslands, which are more sensitive to changes in water availability, while tropical and boreal forests showed a smaller response.
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