Forest loss intensifies meteorological drought in more than half of Earth’s climate zones

Global forest loss increases the risk of meteorological drought by altering surface energy balances. While local impacts on temperature and precipitation are known, the extent and underlying mechanisms of its influence on meteorological drought remain unclear. Here, we analyzed 3696 paired forest loss and intact sites across boreal, temperate, and tropical zones. Forest loss intensified meteorological drought in more than 52% of affected regions. Drought prevalence in boreal zones rose by 5% over 20 years—three times greater than in tropical zones—because of reduced latent heat flux and increased surface albedo, which together suppressed convective rainfall. In contrast, tropical forests demonstrated greater ecological resilience, mitigating ~40% of meteorological drought intensification. Notably, forest loss–induced meteorological drought may further evolve into more severe agricultural and hydrological droughts. Therefore, we recommend implementing strategies tailored for each climate zone, including native forest conservation, proactive ecological restoration, and connectivity enhancement, to effectively reduce drought risk.