The areas affected by drought have steadily increased over the past 20 years
Quelle: VIDEOELEPHANT (Glomex)
Since 2002, the areas affected by drought have increased every year, reaching a total of 832,000 square kilometers. This is equivalent to an area as large as Italy and France combined. And not only that: Due to the periodically occurring El Niño phenomenon, which has led to devastating and unprecedented droughts, this trend has even intensified since 2014. The analysis was made possible thanks to the data collected by NASA's twin satellites Grace. The numbers were then analyzed by scientists at the University of Arizona and published in the journal Science Advance. According to the scientists, climate change and poor management of groundwater resources are the main causes of the expansion of dry areas. The team led by James Famiglietti explained that these areas are mainly located in the northern hemisphere. They are areas in western North America and Central America, as well as in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. According to the researchers, an immediate improvement in water management practices is urgently needed. "Excessive extraction from groundwater aquifers is the main factor contributing to the decline in the Earth's water reserves. The loss of these resources poses a critical threat to humanity, which would bring enormous and underestimated costs for future generations," the researchers stated.