More rapid intensification of flash droughts with shorter onset timescales

Flash droughts can cause more serious environmental and agricultural impacts than traditional droughts because of the sudden onset and rapid intensification. However, it remains unclear how rapidly flash droughts develop and intensify worldwide. Here, we present for the first time a comprehensive assessment of the onset development phase of flash droughts on a global scale. We find that humid and semi-humid regions are more vulnerable to flash droughts. And 56.8% of flash droughts are extremely fast-developing (timescale ≤ 15 days) and intensifying (intensification rate ≥ 12.5th percentile) droughts during 2000–2019. More importantly, the evolution of flash droughts is accelerating with a significantly shorter timescale and a faster intensification, implying that less time is left for early warning and impact preparation. Our findings suggest that urgent action is needed to upgrade existing drought monitoring systems for better capturing the more rapid onset and evolution of flash droughts.

The agricultural impacts of armed conflicts: the case of Fulani militia

Fulani ethnic militia (FEM) violence has increased significantly in recent years, making it one of the most lethal groups in the world. However, empirical evidence on the impacts of FEM on agriculture is scarce. We investigate the agricultural impacts of such violence in the case of Nigeria using a nationally representative panel dataset and armed conflict data. We find that increased FEM violence reduces agricultural output, outputs of specific staple crops and area harvested. FEM violence also reduces farmers’ cattle holdings by increasing cattle thefts and losses and reducing purchased cattle. The agricultural development implications of the FEM cannot be ignored.

Industrial Overview and Outlook

Upgrading biogas to methane and eventual gas grid injection renders bioCH4 an important player in the clean energy market, with natural, political and economic benefits. Discussion on agricultural impacts, increasing government bioCH4 awareness, and removing barriers to international trade will be trends for the coming years. By developing a universal standard, established mass balancing technologies will lead to foreign business growth. Integrating technologies into gas and electricity supplies, switching from incentives to competition, and dealing with natural gas can be challenging as bioCH4 grows.