Drought and widespread desertification exacerbate poverty, hunger, energy insecurity and ecosystem destruction
According to a new UN-supported report, some of the most severe and devastating droughts in human history have occurred since 2023, driven by climate change and ongoing pressure on land and water resources. The report, “Global Drought Hotspots 2023–2025,” provides a comprehensive account of how droughts exacerbate poverty, hunger, energy insecurity, and ecosystem destruction.
Redistribution of the Earth’s water balance – desertification of southern Russia and Europe and filling of lakes in deserts
The director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research warned that precipitation, the source of all fresh water, can no longer be relied upon: the global water cycle has been disrupted for the first time in human history. Russian scientists have warned that deserts are gradually taking over southern Russia. Jim Skea, chairman of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, said that deserts could appear in southern Europe; climate change has intensified droughts in Europe. Their formation will be caused by global warming. Satellites have taken photographs showing how the sands of the Sahara Desert are filling with water.