Global Study Warns of Increasing Frequency and Severity of Multi-Year Droughts

A 40-year analysis reveals expanding drought-affected areas, with significant impacts on ecosystems and human systems worldwide.

Research spanning 1980 to 2018 shows multi-year droughts have become longer, drier, hotter, and more frequent, affecting nearly 50,000 square kilometers more land annually.
Temperate grasslands are the most affected ecosystems, with some regions experiencing drastic declines in vegetation, while tropical and boreal forests exhibit varied resilience to drought conditions.
The longest recorded drought occurred in the eastern Congo basin, lasting nearly a decade and covering 1.5 million square kilometers.
Key drivers of intensifying droughts include rising temperatures, increased evapotranspiration, and reduced rainfall, all linked to climate change and amplified by El Niño events.
The study provides an open-source database to inform global drought mitigation strategies and highlights the need for enhanced monitoring and predictive tools to address future challenges.