Study Shows Climate Change Increased the Probability of Drought in East Africa

Study Shows Climate Change Increased the Probability of Drought in East Africa

The Horn of Africa, one of the world’s poorest regions, is on the brink of famine due to two and a half years of meager rain that have shriveled crops, killed livestock, and caused food and water shortages for millions of people. Hundreds of thousands have fled their homes in search of relief, and a below-normal forecast for the current rainy season means the suffering could continue.

According to an international team of scientists, human-caused climate change has made droughts of such severity at least 100 times as likely in this part of Africa as they were in the preindustrial era. The findings highlight the impact of the burning of fossil fuels, mostly by wealthy countries, on societies that emit almost nothing by comparison.

In Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia, climate hazards have compounded political and economic vulnerabilities, exacerbating the situation. The region’s string of weak rainy seasons is now the longest in…

2023-04-27 00:00:11
Post from www.nytimes.com

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