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Between 2023 and 2025, the world has witnessed one of the most extensive drought-induced crises in recorded history. According to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the U.S. National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC), droughts intensified by climate change, El Niño, and poor land and water management are triggering cascading failures in food, water, energy, and socio-economic systems across continents.

A Slow-Moving Catastrophe

Labelled as “slow-moving catastrophes,” these droughts have disrupted the lives of millions across Africa, the Mediterranean, Latin America, and Asia, creating a silent but widespread humanitarian emergency. In Eastern and Southern Africa, over 90 million people face acute hunger. Zimbabwe’s maize production declined by 70% in 2024, while Zambia's Kariba Dam fell to 7% capacity, resulting in 21-hour daily blackouts and the collapse of health and industrial services.

The Mediterranean region faces shrinking agriculture and groundwater reserves. Spain's olive oil production dropped by 50%, leading to price spikes across Europe. In Türkiye, groundwater depletion triggered over 1,600 sinkholes, raising alarm over infrastructure safety and aquifer depletion.

In the Amazon Basin, rivers reached record low levels, killing over 200 endangered dolphins and leaving Indigenous communities without drinking water. The Panama Canal, vital for global trade, saw daily ship transits fall from 38 to 24, forcing rerouting and delaying supply chains. Similarly, Southeast Asia, including India and Thailand, suffered drought-related disruptions in rice and sugar production, affecting global food prices.

Social Disintegration and Vulnerabilities

The report underscores how drought disproportionately affects women, children, and marginalized communities. In Ethiopia, child marriages doubled in drought-hit regions as families exchanged dowries for survival. Zimbabwe reported mass school dropouts due to hunger and sanitation challenges. In Somalia, 4.4 million people now face food crises, with 1.7 million children suffering from acute malnutrition.

India in the Drought Lens

India, though not as severely impacted, faces growing intra-seasonal monsoon variability. River basins like Krishna and Godavari endure recurrent droughts due to groundwater over-extraction, deforestation, and inefficient irrigation. Drought-prone states like Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Karnataka are witnessing farmer distress, inflationary pressures, and internal migration.

Drivers and Consequences

The principal drivers include global warming, unsustainable land use, El Niño amplification, and poor governance. Drought is no longer a mere meteorological event but a multi-dimensional crisis affecting health, education, biodiversity, economy, and social stability. The OECD estimates droughts today cost twice as much as in 2000, with an expected rise of 35–110% by 2035.

Call to Action: Building Drought Resilience

The report calls for urgent global and national action:

• Early Warning Systems: For real-time drought and impact monitoring.
• Nature-Based Solutions: Restoring watersheds, adopting drought-resilient crops.
• Drought-Resilient Infrastructure: Off-grid power, alternative water sources.
• Gender-Sensitive Adaptation: Empowering women and girls during crises.
• Transboundary Cooperation: Joint management of river basins and trade routes.
• Financial Mobilization: Through platforms like IDRA for vulnerable nations.

Conclusion

Droughts are no longer sporadic natural phenomena; they are structural emergencies threatening the planet’s sustainability and human well-being. Without urgent investment in resilience, governance, and international cooperation, these creeping crises could become the defining climate emergency of the 21st century.