data jungle adventures

The size of the Sahara Desert, which is the largest desert not near the poles, has a big impact on the lives of people living nearby. We know that climate change will likely affect the desert’s location and size, but previous studies haven’t explored how it will respond in the future, whether it will grow or shrink.

Researchers used a special statistical approach and data from climate models (SSP2–4.5 and SSP5–8.5 scenarios) to understand how the Sahara Desert will respond to climate change in the 21st century. They found that the desert is moving northward and expanding towards the east in both moderate and high greenhouse gas emission scenarios. This means that the Sahel region, which is close to the Sahara, may face more droughts in the future, while countries near the Mediterranean could also experience increased risks of drought. On the other hand, the southern boundary of the Sahara is expected to retreat, which could bring more water to the nearby countries, benefiting their water supply.

Source: https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/clim/36/10/JCLI-D-22-0169.1.xml