En-en adult card 30 droughts: Difference between revisions

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== Explanation ==
== Explanation ==
A drought is a period of abnormally dry weather long enough to cause a serious hydrological imbalance. It can be called an agricultural drought if soil moisture is measured, or a meteorological drought if there is a drop in rainfall. A mega-drought is a persistent and widespread drought that lasts much longer than normal (usually a decade or more)<ref>[https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2018/03/WG1AR5_SummaryVolume_FINAL_FRENCH.pdf#page=216 Glossary for Report 5, Working Group 1](French)</ref>. Lack of rainfall and evaporation from the ground are the causes of droughts.
A drought is a period of abnormal water shortage. A meteorological drought is when there is a drop in rainfall, and an agricultural drought is when soil moisture drops abnormally, affecting crop production. A mega-drought is a persistent and widespread drought that lasts much longer than normal (usually a decade or more)<ref>[https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2018/03/WG1AR5_SummaryVolume_FINAL_FRENCH.pdf#page=216 Glossary for Report 5, Working Group 1](French)</ref>.  
 
Lack of rainfall and evaporation from the ground are the causes of droughts, as well as soil erosion.


== To go further ==
== To go further ==
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==== Asia ====
==== Asia ====
In the 1960s, the Aral Sea was the fourth largest lacustrine area in the world (the Aral Sea is a lake). It was initially more than twice the size of Belgium (70,000km²)<ref>[https://observers.france24.com/fr/20090827-mort-mer-aral-ouzbekistan-kazakhstan-urss-environnement France 24, The death of the Aral Sea (Frech)]</ref>. Today, it has almost disappeared: the Aral Sea has lost 75% of its surface area, 14 metres in depth and 90% of its volume<ref>[http://www.cawater-info.net/aral/data/tabs_e.htm Project INTAS-0511 REBASOWS, ''Database of the Aral Sea / Bathymetric characteristics'']</ref>, which has increased its salinity and caused the disappearance of most endemic species. The number of fish species has fallen from 32 to 6. Shipwrecks can be found on the old seabed<ref>[https://lewebpedagogique.com/seconde3hg/files/2017/01/Pages-manuel-mer-dAral.pdf The Educational Web, The Aral Sea, repairing a man-made disaster (French)]</ref>.
In the 1960s, the Aral Sea was the fourth largest lake in the world, more than twice the size of Belgium (70,000km²)<ref>[https://observers.france24.com/fr/20090827-mort-mer-aral-ouzbekistan-kazakhstan-urss-environnement France 24, The death of the Aral Sea (Frech)]</ref>. Today, it has almost disappeared: the Aral Sea has lost 75% of its surface area, 14 metres in depth and 90% of its volume<ref>[http://www.cawater-info.net/aral/data/tabs_e.htm Project INTAS-0511 REBASOWS, ''Database of the Aral Sea / Bathymetric characteristics'']</ref>, which has increased its salinity and caused the disappearance of most endemic species. The number of fish species has fallen from 32 to 6. Shipwrecks can be seen on the old seabed<ref>[https://lewebpedagogique.com/seconde3hg/files/2017/01/Pages-manuel-mer-dAral.pdf The Educational Web, The Aral Sea, repairing a man-made disaster (French)]</ref>.


In India in 2009: the lowest rainy season since 1970 and the strong first year that rice imports have been necessary to feed its population since the late 1980s.
In India in 2009: the lowest rainy season since 1970 and the strong first year that rice imports have been necessary to feed its population since the late 1980s.
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Appearance of desert landscapes in south-eastern Spain<ref>[https://www.consoglobe.com/espagne-desertification-cg Consoglobe, Desertification is gaining ground in Spain (French)]</ref>.
Appearance of desert landscapes in south-eastern Spain<ref>[https://www.consoglobe.com/espagne-desertification-cg Consoglobe, Desertification is gaining ground in Spain (French)]</ref>.


In France, since 2001, 670 natural disasters have been recorded in metropolitan France and the overseas departments. They have caused 15,539 deaths, 96% of which were due to the heat wave of 2003, and cost more than 10 billion euros in insured damage alone<ref>[https://www.banquedesterritoires.fr/670-catastrophes-naturelles-lorigine-de-plus-de-15000-morts-depuis-2001#:~:text=La%20temp%C3%AAte%20Klaus%20de%202009,665%20millions%20d'euros) Banque des Territoires Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations, Risks - 670 natural disasters causing more than 15,000 deaths since 2001 (French)]</ref>.
In France, since 2001, 670 natural disasters have been recorded in metropolitan France and the overseas departments. They have caused 15,539 deaths, 96% of which were due to the heatwave of 2003, and cost more than 10 billion euros in insured damage alone<ref>[https://www.banquedesterritoires.fr/670-catastrophes-naturelles-lorigine-de-plus-de-15000-morts-depuis-2001#:~:text=La%20temp%C3%AAte%20Klaus%20de%202009,665%20millions%20d'euros) Banque des Territoires Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations, Risks - 670 natural disasters causing more than 15,000 deaths since 2001 (French)]</ref>.


The drought of 2003 was the most costly in its history<ref>[http://www.senat.fr/rap/r09-039/r09-039_mono.html Information Report No. 39 (2009-2010) by Mr. Jean-Claude FRÉCON and Mrs. Fabienne KELLER, made on behalf of the Finance Committee, Drought of 2003: a past that doesn't go by (French)]</ref>, affecting 8,000 French communes and having to push legislation to change its definition of natural disasters, because the drought led to landslides and made land totally uninhabitable.
The drought of 2003 was the most costly in its history<ref>[http://www.senat.fr/rap/r09-039/r09-039_mono.html Information Report No. 39 (2009-2010) by Mr. Jean-Claude FRÉCON and Mrs. Fabienne KELLER, made on behalf of the Finance Committee, Drought of 2003: a past that doesn't go by (French)]</ref>, affecting 8,000 French communes and having to push legislation to change its definition of natural disasters, because the drought led to landslides and made land totally uninhabitable.
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