The Droughts Affect 55 million People a Year, According to a WWF Report

A new report by the conservation organization WWF warns that the climate crisis poses an increasing real risk of global droughts. According to the study, these processes put pressure on wetlands and the urban environment and negatively impact the lives of 55 million people each year, putting energy supplies and food production at risk.

The report uses data from WWF's leading online tool to assess the threat of water scarcity - the water risk filter. With his help, experts analyzed the risk of drought in cities, agricultural areas of prime importance such as maize, rice and wheat, areas with energy complexes, and areas of political conflict related to water.

The WWF report also indicates that 22% of major food crops such as wheat are grown in areas with a high to very high risk of drought. In such areas, 19% of cities with a population of over one million fall, and nearly 370 million are affected. The list also includes six metropolitan areas with more than 10 million inhabitants - Delhi, Cairo, Karachi, Istanbul, Rio de Janeiro and Hyderabad.

"Data show that even the northernmost countries in Europe are already reporting the first warning signs of drought. Stockholm, Rotterdam, Manchester and Birmingham are among the cities most at risk of water scarcity in decades to come. And Paris is one of the top 20 most endangered metropolitan cities in the world. Other cities, such as Rome, Naples, Athens and Munich, could also enter the victims' list in just a few years, "warns Philip Penchev, a senior Water Practice expert at WWF - Bulgaria.