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UN forewarns of drought potential to become new pandemic
18 June 2021, 08:46
Lack of water and drought may result in damage comparable to the COVID-19 pandemic, with risks increasing rapidly as global temperatures rise, according to the United Nations (UN), Reuters reports.
"Drought is very close to becoming the next pandemic and there is no vaccine for it," stresses Mami Mizutori, UN Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction.
As per UN figures, droughts have already caused at least USD 124 bln in economic losses and affected more than 1.5 bln people between 1998 and 2017. But even these figures, according to the UN report, are likely to be grossly undervalued.
Global warming intensifies drought in Southern Europe and West Africa. Some 130 countries could face an increased risk of drought this century. Another 23 countries will face water shortages due to population growth, while 38 countries will suffer from both scenarios.
Drought, much like a virus, persists for a long time, has wide geographical coverage, and causes collateral damage, says Mami Mizutori.
"It can indirectly affect countries that are actually not suffering from drought through food insecurity and rising food prices," Mami Mizutori explains.
The UN expects more frequent and severe droughts in most of Africa, central and south America, central Asia, southern Australia, southern Europe, Mexico, and the USA.
Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), adds that soil degradation caused, in particular, by poor land management, had brought the world closer to the point of no return.
"This phenomenon appearing in other parts of the world may well happen in Europe," he says.
More than 40% of the European Union's agricultural imports could become very vulnerable to drought by the middle of this century due to climate change.
Previously reported that Brazil was suffering the worst drought period in about a century.
In the crop year 2020, corn harvest estimates were cut for Ukraine on heat waves and drought.
