Erick Burgueño Salas
Research expert covering climate change and the water industry
Droughts - statistics & facts
Precipitation levels worldwide fell in 2023 to their lowest since records started. Annual rainfall stood at 46.2 millimeters below the average recorded from 1901 to 2000, marking a third consecutive year of negative precipitation anomalies. Such dry conditions, along with higher temperatures driven by climate change, are increasing the odds of worsening drought and desertification across the globe. While these phenomena occur naturally, they are aggravated by human activities like deforestation, overgrazing, urbanization, and the overexploitation of groundwater resources, affecting the economies and livelihoods of millions.
This is part of a series on the effects of climate change.
Droughts are natural phenomena that have affected the planet and humanity for centuries. Although some regions are more susceptible to them, any country can be affected if water resources are not well administered. With human-caused climate change disrupting temperatures and rain patterns, the frequency, duration, and severity of droughts are expected to increase in many parts of the world in the coming decades.
This is part of a series on the effects of climate change.
What are droughts and desertification?
Droughts are defined as prolonged periods of drier-than-normal conditions resulting in water shortages. In 2023, there were 10 drought disasters recorded worldwide. Droughts can persist for months or even years, and when areas remain arid for too long, desertification can occur. Desertification is an extreme form of land degradation in drylands that causes grasslands or shrublands to disappear, turning fertile ecosystems into deserts over time.The most affected regions
The countries most exposed to drought risk are typically located in developing regions, with severe drought and desertification impacting Africa more than any other continent. Somalia, Namibia, and Zimbabwe are among the countries with the highest risk of drought. Although developing countries are particularly vulnerable to drought, countries in developed regions like Europe and North America are not immune to such weather-related catastrophes. After decades of drought in the west, the U.S. experienced a mega-drought in 2021 and 2022, with more than 60 percent of its territory affected at times. Despite a temporary improvement in conditions in early 2024, dry conditions worsened rapidly once more in the second half of the year, showing that one wet season is often not enough to undo long standing drought.The effects of droughts
Droughts and desertification have a considerable impact on both people and the planet. Issues include a loss of soil productivity, crop yield volatility, poverty, famine, disease, social conflicts, and mass migration. In 2023, the economic damage caused by drought disasters worldwide was estimated at 45 billion U.S. dollars. Additionally, more than 770 million people were impacted by droughts in the past 10 years. When such dry conditions persist, tensions between communities can arise in the fight for water access. The number of conflicts in which water scarcity was the trigger has increased significantly in the past decade, with 56 occurrences registered in 2023.Droughts are natural phenomena that have affected the planet and humanity for centuries. Although some regions are more susceptible to them, any country can be affected if water resources are not well administered. With human-caused climate change disrupting temperatures and rain patterns, the frequency, duration, and severity of droughts are expected to increase in many parts of the world in the coming decades.
