Drought occurs in areas of the world that normally get little or no rain. Climate change is raising the risk of these weather conditions.
The term “drought” describes a period of low precipitation or extreme dryness in an area, usually caused by climate factors like global warming, El Nino Southern Oscillation, and changing wind patterns. It can also be caused by natural phenomena like wildfires, volcanic eruptions, or simply by a seasonal change.
People whose incomes depend on the availability of water can be hit hard by drought. Farmers, landscapers and garden supply businesses, fisheries and timber operations, power companies that use hydroelectricity (energy created by flowing water), and hotels and restaurants located near lakes and other water sources can all experience financial hardship as a result of drought.
The impacts of drought on ecosystems are a reminder of how closely humans are linked to natural systems. If the water needs of an ecosystem aren’t taken into account in decisions about how water is allocated, that ecosystem may be pushed past its limits during drought. This can lead to reduced biodiversity and degradation of natural resources, such as soil erosion and water quality.
There’s medium confidence that less rainfall has been observed in some regions, including Western Africa and South America, while other parts of the world have seen more rainfall (source: IPCC Sixth Assessment Report). The increased frequency and severity of ecological drought is a direct result of human-induced climate change, as rising temperatures and shifting weather patterns disrupt the normal water cycle.