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Megadrought Across Southwest U.S. Inevitable, NASA Predicts

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1200x-1NASA predicts a mega drought that is highly likely to alter the landscape of southwest America, if the world does not put an end to carbon emissions right now.

Brace yourselves, you climate change deniers. It is all happening, and it actually seems to be worse than anyone have ever thought.

A new study conducted by scientists at NASA predicts a period of extreme drought that can last up to 40 years and can turn the whole of Southwest America into a desert. The intensity of this event will bypass any previously known droughts, completely changing the meaning of the Medieval climate anomalies.

The predictions are based on highly accurate soil moisture and tree-ring data collected over 1000 years from various climate models. The scientists looked at the so-called drought severity index, and carbon dioxide estimates.

The situation does not look good. If no one does anything, and we continue with “business as usual”, then there is an 80% chance of that megadrought to take place. What is more worrying, however, is that even if we manage to somehow miraculously stop emitting greenhouse gases by 2050, the chances fall only slightly down to 60%.

The team explains it all in much more detail on this video. They call for immediate action from governments around the world to completely eliminate any use of fossil fuels in any industry and at any cost. The team also urges that the responsible political leaders take on board the findings of the study, and invest in more carbon capture and storage facilities and technologies.

According to the scientists, the megadrought might actually be inevitable. The world has simply missed the time when actions were going to make a difference, and now it is just too late, at least if we want a short term solution.

But, this does not mean that all is lost and there is nothing we can do, no. Long term changes will be seen if all measures are implemented now, and there is absolutely no excuse for not thinking of future generations.

Image (c)  Talia Herman/Corbis

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