According to a new study, droughts are increasingly extreme and frequent around the world (illustrative image).
Photo: KEYSTONE/PETER SCHNEIDER
Multi-year droughts have become more frequent, more intense and more widespread over the past 40 years. They impact agriculture, energy production and ecosystems, warns a team from the WSL institute in the journal Science.
Between 1980 and 2018, the global land area affected by multi-year droughts increased on average by around 50,000 square kilometers each year, as shown by scientists from the Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) in this study published Thursday. This is more than the surface of Switzerland.
“Multi-year droughts cause enormous economic damage, for example in agriculture and electricity production,” said study leader Dirk Karger, quoted in a WSL press release.
-The reason for this development is the increase in temperatures linked to climate change. These lead to larger variations in precipitation and at the same time increase evaporation.
/ATS
Canada
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