Global cropland exposure to extreme composites of drought and heat under future climate change

A new study suggests that cropland exposure to extreme drought and heat waves (CDHE) will increase over the course of this century on all continents, particularly in Asia and Africa. The researchers analyze cropland exposure to extreme CDHEs at the global and continental scales under different common socio-economic pathways (SSP) scenarios for the medium (2041–2060) and long-term (2081–2100) horizons. The researchers say that the frequency of extreme CDHEs in the future will be much higher than in the baseline period (1995-2014) and "the increased frequency will become more apparent as emissions increase." The study adds that "extreme high-frequency CDHEs are mainly found in tropical regions."

Weather and Climate Extremes, Carbon Brief