Europe is drying out: extreme drought hits the continent
Intensifying heatwaves are draining moisture from soil and rivers, damaging transport, energy, and agriculture. Major rivers like the Rhine and Danube have reached historic lows, and experts warn: the scenarios predicted for 2050 are already coming true.
Europe is facing a new and difficult climate reality: extreme and frequent drought is becoming the continent's "new normal." Scientific analyses indicate that heatwaves, intensified by the climate crisis, are "sucking" moisture from the soil and rivers, leaving vast areas of Europe drier than ever.
This year, the drought arrived earlier than expected — already in June, conditions were recorded that were previously characteristic of the peak of summer. According to experts, the current drought is not caused only by a lack of rain, but mainly by high temperatures: the atmosphere has become more "thirsty" and is evaporating water from rivers, lakes, and plants at an unprecedented rate.
This change is altering the way droughts are formed in Europe and deepening the damage to natural systems, infrastructure, and the economy.
Rivers at a low: damage to transport, energy, and ecosystems
European rivers, which serve as major transport and energy arteries, are at a historic low. In France, about 16% of rivers were defined as completely dry as early as the end of June, and in some areas in the south of the country, the figure reached 22%.
The state of the Rhine River, one of the main trade routes in Europe, is also causing concern. The water level in it has dropped below the minimum level measured during the famous drought of 1976. As a result, cargo ships are forced to significantly reduce the amount of cargo they carry to avoid running aground. This leads to the distribution of goods across a larger number of vessels and increases transport costs.
In the Danube River, the lowest water level in 30 years was recorded, a situation that led to the suspension of cruise ships and severely damaged the tourism sector in Romania and Hungary.
The drought also affects the energy sector. Hydroelectric power generation has plummeted due to weak water flow, and at the same time, the water temperature in rivers such as the Rhine and the Meuse has risen to 25 degrees Celsius. These conditions encourage the spread of toxic algae and cause mass fish mortality.
In the Netherlands, a country that traditionally deals with excess water, a level 2 water shortage was officially declared. Authorities are forced to limit the use of river dams to prevent the intrusion of salt water from the sea into freshwater waterways.
Agriculture is suffering: fears of rising food and electricity prices
The consequences of the drought are also felt in the economy. The agricultural sector is suffering heavy damage, and estimates speak of a loss of about 9 million tons of grain across Europe.
In France, the worst corn harvest in 50 years was recorded, and in Romania, farmers lost more than a million dunams of crops.
The shortage of agricultural produce, along with disruptions in the transport of goods on rivers and the decline in energy production, is expected to lead to a rise in food and electricity prices — a blow that will be felt especially by low-income households.
Beyond the damage to agriculture, the extreme heat is taking a direct toll on the economy. A study in the UK found that the loss of working hours due to heat stress cost the economy more than a billion pounds.
In addition, the dry conditions created fertile ground for giant fires in France and Spain, which led to the evacuation of tens of thousands of people and destroyed vast forest areas.
Scientists warn that the current situation in Europe corresponds to the worst-case scenarios predicted for 2050 — a figure that indicates, according to them, that the climate crisis is progressing faster and with greater force than previously anticipated.
Without a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, experts warn, hot and dry summers will become frequent events that will continue to undermine the economic and environmental stability of the continent.
