Decades ago, climate scientists predicted that rising global temperatures would lead to more severe and intense droughts due to combinations of increasing temperatures, decreasing precipitation, more evaporation, and a reduction in snow and ice packs. The effects of a warming world are already being felt in different regions of the world, including the Mediterranean and Southwest. These droughts threaten jobs, food security, water resources, and, in some places, political stability.
In our stories, our correspondents explore the links between climate change and drought and their implications on societies.
“Drought is one of the most pervasive and insidious of natural disasters. Blame for crop loss, famine, hunger, migration, economic instability and even war can all been placed at its door. It’s estimated that, since 1981, climate change has already caused an average of $5 billion per year in crop losses. As climate continues to change, we are concerned that increasing temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns may increase drought risk in certain parts of the world, including the central and southwestern United States.”
Katharine Hayhoe, Ph.D.
Atmospheric scientist, Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and director of the Climate Science Center at Texas Tech University
Drought – Years Of Living Dangerously
Katherine is about to get slammed with yet another major snowstorm in Lubbock, TX.
Rainfall in Lubbock shows no trend over the past century.
ftp://ftp.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/ghcn/daily/all/USC00412121.dly
Snowfall in Lubbock shows no trend over the past century.
The number of 100 degree days in Lubbock hasn’t changed.
Temperatures in Lubbock peaked in 1927, and show no trend over the past century, and have been plummeting since 1998.
The amount of sea ice on Earth is at record levels.
iphone.anomaly.global.png (512×412)
Like many of her climate science peers, evangelical Christian Katherine Hayhoe simply makes up information which sounds scary and is convenient for her career goals. There isn’t one smidgen of evidence backing anything she says.
