Groundwater Issues: Climate Change and Extreme Events
Droughts are naturally occurring features of the UK climate. Almost all droughts have surface water and groundwater components, but their relative importance, particularly in relation to impacts, can vary greatly. In this article the causes and characteristics of groundwater drought are presented and the implications of climate change for this form of drought are discussed.
The links between climate change and increased greenhouse gas emissions are now well-established. However, uncertainty still surrounds the effects of climate change on the water cycle in the UK. It does seem likely that there will be greater variability in climatic conditions, with extremes - flooding and drought - becoming more common. This issue is explored further in our article on groundwater resources and climate change.
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