Drought is a period of abnormally low precipitation that persists for a long time, resulting in water shortages and other problems. Water shortages can cause problems such as famine, malnutrition and death, especially among vulnerable people in poor countries. Drought is a global problem that affects everyone and can have many impacts on people’s health, including causing stress and anxiety.
The effects of drought are felt in every part of the world, but low and middle income countries are most at risk from its impacts. Food crops fail and prices rise which puts extra stress on families who already have a hard time getting enough to eat. Droughts can also cause wildfires that destroy ecosystems and burn homes.
Climate change is making these events worse. Scientists know that by reducing greenhouse gas emissions we can help prevent drought and other weather disasters.
The good news is that there are ways we can help to reduce the impact of droughts, such as using water-efficient technologies and encouraging governments and businesses to take action. However, the best way to reduce the risks of drought is to slow and ideally reverse the growth in global temperatures that causes them. We need to stop burning fossil fuels and switch to clean energy to protect our planet from the threat of drought.
About the Author
