Droughts Affected – Extreme-Exceptional

Percentage of global land area- Extreme-Exceptional

Percentage of global population - Extreme-Exceptional

AR6 WGII Projected increase in the global share of area impacted from droughts. Changes are calculated based on the RCP6.0 concentration pathway for Terrestrial Water Storage (TWS) droughts.
Terrestrial water storage (TWS) modulates the hydrological cycle and is a key determinant of water availability and an indicator of drought. While historical TWS variations have been increasingly studied, future changes in TWS and the linkages to droughts remain unexamined. Here, using ensemble hydrological simulations, we show that climate change could reduce TWS in many regions, especially those in the Southern Hemisphere.