amazonian droughts

causes

2023 drought was primarily driven by climate change rather than natural phenomena like El Niño.

Reduced Carbon Uptake

2015–2016 El Niño-induced drought, the Amazon basin released nearly 1 gigaton of carbon into the atmosphere due to reduced vegetation growth.

Increased Carbon Emissions

Droughts can lead to increased tree mortality and susceptibility to wildfires

frequency and intensity

• expected to occur approximately once every 50 years.

• Without human-induced global warming, such an intense drought might only have occurred once every 1,500 years

deforestation

• Approximately one-fifth of the Amazon rainforest has been lost over the last 50 years.

2023-24 precipitation deficit and temp increase

• Precipitation deficit: 50 to 100 mm/month

• Temperature increase: +3˚C higher than usual

future projections

At 2°C of warming, similar Amazon droughts could occur approximately once every 13 years