Climate change affects million living in deserts
Climate change threatens 500 million people living in desert regions
Climat change could worsen the living conditions of millions of people in desert regions, the UNEP said on Monday 5th June, marking the World Environment Day.
Among the findings of UNEP's Global Desert Outlook, climate change impacts are listed as the greatest threat. Climate change over the past 25 years has caused temperatures to rise faster in the deserts, up to 2 degrees celsius, than the global average of 0.45 degrees celsius. The study found also that most deserts will see temperature rise by 5-7 degrees celsius by the end of the century and rainfall drop 10-20%.
Desert margins are particularly vulnerable and it is there that human settlements are most at risk of desertification. About 500 million people inhabit desert regions, a higher number than previously thought, and desert cities in the US and Middle East may be living on borrowed time.
Meanwhile some experts believe that deserts could become the carbon-free powerhouses of the 21st century. An area such as the Sahara could capture enough energy to generate all the world's electricity needs!
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