Droughts will become the 'new normal' in a quarter of the world by 2050 - including parts of the Mediterranean - according to new research. Global warming will increase the intensity and frequency in many regions, say scientists.
It will reduce water supplies - impacting agriculture and energy systems. Current management strategies may be insufficient, warns the international research team.
By the middle of the century, increases are statistically significant in 25 and 28 per cent of land under low and high greenhouse gas emissions, respectively. Specific areas show substantial increases of more than double the current rate.
