Extreme Weather Events: Droughts Around the World, Part 2 of 3

On today’s show, we’ll explore the severe drought conditions that are affecting Africa and Europe. Home to the Sahara, the world’s largest hot desert, North Africa is one of the driest regions on Earth, where it's common to have no rainfall for more than a year in some places. However, for many years climate change has increased the lack of rain and abnormally hot weather across East Africa, Southern Africa, and the Horn of Africa as well, damaging crops, increasing food prices, and driving up the aid requirements of tens of millions of already vulnerable people across the region. A record 45 million Southern Africans are food insecure as the region enters the peak of its lean season. Climate change is creating a drought crisis that’s affecting energy, food supplies and tens of millions of people every year around the world. From 1950 to 2014, droughts affected 2.2 billion people. In Europe, the damage caused by droughts between 1950 and 2014 is estimated to be 621 million euros per event. To date, 11% of the European population and 17% of the area comprising the EU have been affected by water scarcity. Europe is seeing soaring temperatures. The current drought, especially in the northern and central parts of the continent, has had a devastating impact on crops. Water is essential for us, for plants and for our crops, for just about everything on Earth. Without water, everything changes. Supreme Master Ching Hai is deeply concerned about the drought conditions around the world, especially in Africa. “In Africa, people in Somalia, Ethiopia, and Sudan, to name just a few, have been crippled by drought. According to the United Nations, desertification, which often results from felling too many trees and damage that occurs from such activities as cattle grazing, is affecting the well-being of more than 1.2 billion people in more than 100 countries at risk.” “As drought and water crises are spreading silently across the globe, affecting 44% of the world’s population, even triggering conflicts in some areas, the livestock industry is guzzling much of our precious fresh water.” “This is not to mention the 21 times of human waste that each cow produces, and the huge amount from poultry that over 70 million birds produce. As the land cannot absorb it all, much of the excess runs into our rivers and soil. But all the while, livestock production is hazardously wasting and polluting any remaining water supply. If we really want to conserve our clean, safe water for ourselves and our children, we must stop livestock production and adopt the plant-based diet.” May Heaven bless Africa and Europe. We pray to Heaven that the people of Africa and Europe quickly adopt the right answer for stopping drought and water shortages – the compassionate vegan lifestyle.