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The number and duration of droughts has risen 29% globally since 2000 and the effect of severe droughts is estimated to have reduced India’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 2-5% over the 20 years from 1998 to 2017, said a new report from the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) released on 11 May 2022. While calling for multiple actions, including land restoration to reduce the risk, the report released on the sidelines of the ongoing 15th session of the UNCCD conference (COP15) at Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, also flagged that the droughts represent 15% of natural disasters globally but took the largest human toll approximately 6,50,000 deaths in 50 years (1970-2019).