Researchers from the US National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC), in partnership with the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), have conducted a landmark survey analyzing drought impacts from 2023 to 2025. Their findings reveal some of the worst droughts in recorded history, with devastating consequences for millions of people and ecosystems worldwide.
"Girls pulled from school and forced into marriage, hospitals losing power, families digging in dry riverbeds for contaminated water — these are clear signals of a deepening crisis," said Paula Guastello, drought researcher at NDMC.
Mediterranean in the Drought Hotspot
The Mediterranean region is increasingly facing acute water shortages. Around 35% of the EU and UK were under drought warnings in early June after an exceptionally hot spring driven by climate change. Areas across Spain, Morocco, Turkey, Cyprus, Greece, Ukraine, and parts of Eastern Europe are now experiencing intensified drought conditions.
In Spain, two consecutive years of drought and record heat slashed olive harvests by half in 2023, doubling olive oil prices nationwide and severely impacting agriculture and tourism. Turkey faces a dangerous depletion of groundwater reserves, triggering sinkholes that threaten communities and infrastructure, while permanently reducing the land's ability to store water.
"The Mediterranean countries are the canaries in the coal mine for all modern economies," said Dr. Mark Svoboda, co-author of the report and NDMC director. "The challenges these nations face today offer a glimpse into the future of water security for the world if global warming continues unchecked."
He called the drought a "slow-moving global catastrophe," emphasizing that no country can afford complacency, regardless of wealth.
Beyond the Mediterranean: A Global Emergency
While Europe grapples with drought, the most severe humanitarian and ecological toll is felt in poorer regions. Eastern and Southern Africa face acute hunger crises, with over 90 million people impacted. Somalia saw an estimated 43,000 drought-related deaths in 2022 alone.
Zambia endured a crippling energy crisis in early 2024 as the Zambezi River dropped to historic lows, reducing hydroelectric power capacity to just 7%. Blackouts lasting up to 21 hours forced hospital closures and shuttered essential businesses.
The report also highlights a tragic rise in forced child marriages in drought-stricken Eastern Africa, as families struggle to survive.
"The coping mechanisms we witnessed became increasingly desperate," said Guastello. "Women and children suffer disproportionately in these emergencies."
In the Amazon basin, record low river levels left remote communities stranded, deprived of drinking water, and cut off from basic services — a harsh illustration of drought's global reach.
Climate Change and El Niño: A ‘Perfect Storm'
The report points to the interaction of human-driven climate change and the recent El Niño event as a "perfect storm" intensifying drought impacts worldwide. El Niño warmed Pacific Ocean waters, disrupting rainfall patterns and exacerbating dry conditions across key agricultural zones and vulnerable ecosystems.
Researchers urge governments to strengthen early warning systems, invest in nature-based solutions like watershed restoration, develop off-grid energy infrastructure, and implement gender-responsive adaptation measures.
"The tools and knowledge to reduce suffering exist," said Dr. Kelly Helm Smith, NDMC assistant director. "What remains uncertain is whether political will will follow."