Europe is drying up: water scarcity affects more than half of the continent

Europe dries up. according to him european drought observatory Currently 64% of the land is affected by the effects of drought. A condition caused by the lack of rainfall that has occurred since the beginning of the year and which has also been exacerbated by heat waves Unusually in early May and June.

France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Portugal and mldr; Practically no country is immune to drought, the most obvious face of which is fires and the exhausted tanks, But it will also have short, medium and long term consequences in “agriculture, energy and water supply”

If Europe is going to be short of gas this winter, many traditionally humid countries have also already noticed water shortages they are not used to. In Spain, the European country with the largest number of reservoirs, Latest data From Ministry of Environmental Transformation We note that the national water reserve has been declining for three consecutive months. With the tanks at 40.4% of capacity, the data is already there 20 worst point from the average of the last decade (60.3%).

This is in a country predisposed to water scarcity. Others are less accustomed to it, such as Germany, where the Rhine had to suspend its course commercial movement Because of their low flow, or the UK, where they lived in July drier since 1935They find it more difficult to adapt.

In the county of Yorkshire, in the north of England, they have already announced, for example, that as of August 26 Prohibit the use of hoses In the water, wash the car, or fill children’s baths.

“Hot, dry weather means the Yorkshire rivers are going down, and that means our reservoirs are around 20% less full What to expect this time of year, says Neil Dewes, director of the company dedicated to water management in the region.

For its part, Italy has five regions that have already agreed to Emergency Due to drought, and in the north, irrigation rationing measures were implemented, the filling of swimming pools was prohibited and the night supply was interrupted.

In addition to direct consumption, evaporation and reduced precipitation directly and indirectly affect food production.

Latest Newsletter European Crop Monitor He points out, for example, that water shortages and rising temperatures have worsened the outlook for crops such as pillswhich also had to face other challenges such as the invasion of Ukraine, which is the breadbasket of Europe.

Views are particularly troubling in France, Spain, Romania, Portugal and Italy, but also affect, albeit to a lesser extent, other countries such as Germany, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia.

In Spain and Italy, for example, European Drought Observatory I discovered that both winter and summer crops were negatively affected by low rainfall and rising temperatures, while the main problem in Germany and Poland was the lack of rain.

A situation that will not limit its consequences in the short term, because according to that same report, between July and September It is expected to pass France, Germany, Switzerland, Portugal, northern Spain, Italy, most of the United Kingdom and Ireland dry periods More urgent than usual.

“These forecasts add anxiety to an already very critical situation, so if they are confirmed, the drought will be more pronounced and therefore there will be a greater impact on the population. AgricultureThe energy and the supply water ” The report indicates.

This increase in temperatures and the drying up of vegetation also causes fires to spread in Europe. France, for example, has asked for help to deal with a disaster that has already destroyed more than 50000 hectares in every country. Germany, Poland, Romania and Austria have already announced that they will send firefighters to help them fight the flames, while Sweden and Greece have already chartered four planes to support putting out the flames.

Related news