More than one-fourth of the Earth's surface is expected by drought if the average temperature rises by more than 2 degrees compared to pre-industrial rates, predicts an international group of scientists who published a study in the journal Nature Climate Change. And half the way to this we have already passed.

Scientists have investigated 27 different climate models of the future and identified regions in which the land will become significantly drier when global warming reaches 1.5 and 2 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial level. And they came to the conclusion that when the temperature rises to 2 degrees, the drought will affect from 20% to 30% of the land surface. At the same time, two-thirds of the affected regions can avoid significant aridity if the warming can be kept at 1.5 C.

"Aridity is a serious threat, since it has a great impact on agriculture, water quality and diversity of life forms. It can also lead to drought and forest fires like those that hit California, "says Chan-Yi Park, the first author of a scientific study.

In the most detailed study of aridity by the University of Science and Technology of Shenzhen, the University of East Anglia, the Seoul National University and other universities in Sweden, the United States and Switzerland, it is said that only if we manage to contain global warming within 1.5 degrees, mankind will be able to avoid serious changes on two thirds of the Earth's territory, including drought and forest fires.

Aridity has already increased in the twentieth century in the Mediterranean, South Africa and the east coast of Australia, and the semi-desert regions of Mexico, Brazil, South Africa and Australia have begun to turn into deserts. The reverse process occurs in equatorial countries and in high latitudes - where the climate becomes more humid, reports The Guardian.

A year ago the authors of the report "The Truth about Climate Change" had already warned that our planet had warmed up by 1.0 degree C more than in the pre-industrial era, and in 10 years this figure could reach 1.5 C. By 2050, if we do not take decisive measures, the temperature of the Earth is almost guaranteed to rise by 2 degrees from the beginning of the industrial revolution, and then we are expected by fires, storms, a decrease in the number of animals and fresh water.

Source: High Tech.