Drought Will Alter the Habitable Surface of the Earth

Guardian story on the probable devastating impact of drought in the years to come.

Drought land 'will be abandoned'
Climate change will cause 'economic deserts' even in rich countries, warns UN environment chief

Parts of the world may have to be abandoned because severe water shortages will leave them uninhabitable, the United Nations environment chief has warned.

Achim Steiner, executive director of the UN Environment Programme, said water shortages caused by over-use of rivers and aquifers were already leading to serious problems, even in rich nations. With climate change expected to reduce rainfall in some places and cause droughts in others, some regions could become 'economic deserts', unviable for people or agriculture, he said.

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