World 'drying up', say climate scientists 19 January 05

The percentage of the earth’s surface stricken by serious drought more than doubled between the 1970s and 1990s, according to new analysis by scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado. Particularly badly affected were Europe and Asia, Canada, western and southern Africa, and Australia – and rising global temperatures appear to be a major factor. This drying trend came despite the increasing amount of water vapour in the air which accompanies rising temperatures, and a slight increase in global precipitation. More from the National Science Foundation.