Climate Crisis: Brazil’s Cerrado Suffers Worst Drought in 700 Years

A study from the University of São Paulo indicates the Cerrado is experiencing its most severe drought in centuries due to rising temperatures and disrupted rainfall patterns, confirmed through geological and weather data analysis.

Researchers at the University of São Paulo have discovered that Cerrado, Brazil’s savanna biome, is suffering its worst drought in 700 years. This alarming finding is largely attributed to the effects of global warming, which have been particularly severe in Brazil’s central region. There, temperatures have risen by approximately 1 °C above the global average increase of 1.5 °C. This temperature surge has disrupted the hydrological cycle, causing much of the rainfall to evaporate before it can nourish the soil, leading to less frequent but more intense rainstorms and reduced aquifer recharge. The drought has the potential to deplete the tributaries of the São Francisco River, the main river in the basin.