Droughts may affect more than 75% of world’s population by 2050
June 18, 2022, 6:37 am

Droughts may affect more than 75% of world’s population by 2050

Millions in California facing water restrictions as state battles 3-year drought (Photo: Pixabay)

The UN said Friday (June 17) as World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is observed that droughts may affect more than three-quarters of the world’s population by 2050.

The day that is annually observed June 17 since 1995, focuses on changing public attitudes toward the leading driver of desertification and land degradation, the Anadolu Agency reported..

This year's theme, "Rising up from drought together," highlights the need for early action to avoid disastrous results for humanity and the environment.

Drought is a rising trend globally due to global warming and vanishing water resources, according to data compiled by Anadolu Agency from scientific findings and reports by international institutions.

Through August to December 2021, 62 elephants have died in Kenya due to drought. Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) lacks sufficient resources to put up water pans in the drought-affected areas (File photo: Pixabay)

Since 2000, the number and duration of droughts have risen 29%, according to a World Meteorological Organization (WMO) report in 2021.

Additionally, one in four children are expected to live in drought-hit regions by 2040, according to UNICEF.

Africa suffers most

A total of 11.7 million people were killed because of drought-related reasons between 1900 and 2019, while Africa suffers more than any other continent with 134 droughts in the last two decades.

UN: Famine threatens drought-devastated parts of Horn of Africa

Europe has seen 45 droughts in the last decade. The cost for Europe has exceeded $27 billion, with 15% of the continental land and 17% of the population affected.

In the US, damage caused by drought only to agricultural products has reached $250 billion in the last century.

The most deaths occurred in Asia.

Drought, which is the most frequent natural disaster affecting humans worldwide, after floods, has reduced the gross domestic product in India by 2% to 5%. It has reduced agricultural production by 18% in Australia since 2000.

UN spokesman: Horn of Africa drought affects 18 mln people

Meanwhile, Somalia, Zimbabwe, Djibouti, Mauritania and South Africa are among the countries with the highest drought risk.

Source: aa

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”