background image

Drought touches a quarter of humanity, U.N. says, disrupting lives globally

author image

By illuminem briefings

· 2 min read


illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The New York Times or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Severe droughts are affecting various regions globally, with significant impacts on agriculture, water supply, and food security
• Tunisia's olive groves, the Brazilian Amazon, and wheat fields in Syria and Iraq are suffering from extreme dryness
• The Panama Canal faces water shortages, and India has restricted rice exports due to drought concerns

🔭 The context: The United Nations reports that 1.84 billion people, nearly a quarter of humanity, lived under drought conditions in 2022 and 2023
• These droughts, exacerbated by climate change and natural phenomena like El Niño, are occurring amidst a backdrop of record-high temperatures and food-price inflation

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Droughts have wide-ranging environmental and societal impacts
• They contribute to food insecurity, affecting millions worldwide, and influence geopolitical dynamics, such as trade and migration patterns
• The environmental toll, particularly in carbon-rich areas like the Amazon, could have lasting effects on global climate patterns

⏭️ What's next: The ongoing situation highlights the urgent need for effective climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies
• It also underscores the importance of sustainable water and agricultural practices to cope with the increasing frequency and severity of droughts

💬 One quote: “Droughts operate in silence, often going unnoticed and failing to provoke an immediate public and political response,” (Ibrahim Thiaw, head of the United Nations agency)

Click for more news covering the latest on climate change

Did you enjoy this illuminem voice? Support us by sharing this article!
author photo

About the author

illuminem's editorial team - providing you with concise summaries of the most important sustainability news of the day.

Follow us on Linkedin, Twitter​ & Instagram

Other illuminem Voices


Related Posts


You cannot miss it!

Weekly. Free. Your Top 10 Sustainability & Energy Posts.

You can unsubscribe at any time (read our privacy policy)