Research has shown that an area that is nearly a third the size of India has gone from wet lands to arid areas where agriculture is difficult over the past three decades, The Guardian reported on December 9. Drylands now make up 40 percent of all land on Earth, excluding Antarctica. Over the past 30 years, three-quarters of the world's landmass has suffered from drought conditions that are likely to be permanent, according to a study by Science Policy Interface, a group of scientists convened by the United Nations.

According to the report, Africa lost about 12 percent of its GDP due to increasing aridity between 1990 and 2015. Losses are projected to be even worse, with Africa losing about 16% of its GDP over the next five years and Asia losing about 7%. Some crops will be particularly at risk: maize yields in Kenya are projected to halve by 2050 if current trends continue.

Drylands are areas where 90% of rainfall is lost to evaporation, leaving only 10% for vegetation. By mid-century, two-thirds of the world's landmasses will store less water, according to a report released Monday. The world's water problems are rapidly worsening as a result of the global failure to address greenhouse gas emissions. About 30 percent of the population - 2.3 billion people worldwide - lived in drylands as of 2020, up from about 22.5 percent in 1990, according to the Science Policy Interface study.