Droughts are among the most costly natural disasters, affecting agriculture, ecosystems and societies. A study found that climate change has been impacting drought risk in the world since 1900. All the models are projecting that one should see unprecedented drying soon, in a lot of places.
Although it is floods that grab the headlines and trigger aid quickly, droughts have “shockingly large and often hidden” impacts that can last for generations, the world bank said in a report.
Girls in rural Africa born during a severe drought are more likely to grow up poor and hungry, be less educated, stunted, wed younger, give birth to underweight babies and bear more of them, the bank said.
This is an example of a poverty trap that has been created by a single episode of drought … and it continues across generations.
Nor are cities – the economic engines of most countries – immune from drought. The economic impact of droughts on city businesses is four times worse than that of floods.
Urban economies slow because of power outages, weak sales and increased health problems such as diarrhoea and dysentery.
Large swathes of eastern Australia have been in drought for periods ranging from a year to seven years.
Australia's biggest city Sydney is running down its water supply at the fastest rate on record. The amount of water flowing into the dam was just 10% of what it was a year ago. Catchments that have been historically reliable are now facing a critical shortage of water. A recent survey of Sydney residents found that despite the dry conditions and declining water supply, 47% of people did not realise there was a drought.
Although it is floods that grab the headlines and trigger aid quickly, droughts have “shockingly large and often hidden” impacts that can last for generations, the world bank said in a report.
Girls in rural Africa born during a severe drought are more likely to grow up poor and hungry, be less educated, stunted, wed younger, give birth to underweight babies and bear more of them, the bank said.
This is an example of a poverty trap that has been created by a single episode of drought … and it continues across generations.
Nor are cities – the economic engines of most countries – immune from drought. The economic impact of droughts on city businesses is four times worse than that of floods.
Urban economies slow because of power outages, weak sales and increased health problems such as diarrhoea and dysentery.
Large swathes of eastern Australia have been in drought for periods ranging from a year to seven years.
Australia's biggest city Sydney is running down its water supply at the fastest rate on record. The amount of water flowing into the dam was just 10% of what it was a year ago. Catchments that have been historically reliable are now facing a critical shortage of water. A recent survey of Sydney residents found that despite the dry conditions and declining water supply, 47% of people did not realise there was a drought.
