Awal et al. (2026) Introduction: Global drought and sustainability

Identification

• Journal: Elsevier eBooks
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-01-01
• Authors: Ripendra Awal, Ali Fares, Anoop Valiya Veettil
• DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-443-44625-2.00002-3

Research Groups

• Cooperative Agricultural Research Center, College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX, United States

Short Summary

This textbook introduction highlights the intensification of agricultural and ecological droughts globally, driven by increased evaporative demand despite stable meteorological drought trends. Its objective is to investigate how climate and land-use change, population growth, and rising demands exacerbate global drought characteristics, offering practical tools for sustainable and equitable management.

Objective

• To investigate and discuss the effects of climate and land-use change, population growth, and rising food–energy–water demands in the 21st century on exacerbating global drought characteristics, framing drought as a coupled climate–hydrology–society challenge, and presenting practical tools for decision-makers.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Global, with regional examples from southwestern North America, Europe, and South Africa.
• Temporal Scale: Primarily 21st century projections, with historical context spanning the past 120 years and up to 1200 years for specific megadrought events.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Discussion of "future Earth system model simulations" for drought projections (e.g., under SSP5-8.5 scenario). The textbook aims to present "practical tools, spanning monitoring, modeling, design, and management."
• Data sources: Extensive precipitation records, indices incorporating evapotranspiration and soil moisture, and reports from organizations like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and OECD for drought impacts.

Main Results

• Agricultural and ecological droughts have intensified in recent years, despite minimal global variation in meteorological drought over the past 120 years.
• This intensification is attributed to increased atmospheric evaporative demand caused by soil and vegetation desiccation, even with stable rainfall trends.
• Evidence indicates an increase in drought size and extent when utilizing indices that incorporate evapotranspiration and soil moisture.
• Future Earth system model simulations project an increased proportion of areas experiencing arid conditions and prolonged droughts by 2100 under high-emissions scenarios (e.g., SSP5-8.5).
• Drought is a worldwide natural disaster with extensive ramifications, affecting agricultural output, economic stability, human livelihoods, and ecological integrity.

Contributions

• Frames drought as a complex "coupled climate–hydrology–society challenge."
• Synthesizes the multifaceted drivers of global drought exacerbation, including climate change, land-use change, population growth, and food–energy–water demands.
• Aims to provide practical tools and guidance for decision-makers, spanning monitoring, modeling, design, and management, with sustainability and equity as core principles.

Funding

• Not specified in the provided text.

Citation

@article{Awal2026Introduction,
  author = {Awal, Ripendra and Fares, Ali and Veettil, Anoop Valiya},
  title = {Introduction: Global drought and sustainability},
  journal = {Elsevier eBooks},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1016/b978-0-443-44625-2.00002-3},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-443-44625-2.00002-3}
}