Europe’s drought worsens as climate change intensifies extreme heat
Climate change is worsening drought conditions across Europe this year as extreme heat accelerates water loss from soils, according to a new analysis by climate scientists.
The study, published by the World Weather Attribution (WWA) group, found that while climate change was not responsible for the lack of rainfall between April and June, it significantly increased the impact of the drought by driving higher temperatures and faster evaporation of available water supplies.
Several European countries are facing severe water shortages this summer, disrupting agriculture, shipping and industrial activities.
France is expecting its smallest maize harvest in five decades due to dry conditions, while Romania has restricted farmers’ access to irrigation water. The Netherlands declared a water shortage last week, and seven Greek islands have announced drought emergencies to protect limited water resources.
The analysis found that conditions causing increased evaporation were 80 times more likely in western Europe and 40 times more likely in eastern Europe during the first half of the year compared with the pre-industrial era before widespread fossil fuel use.
“Extreme heat is taking over as the primary driver of drought on our continent,” said Sarah Kew, a climate scientist at the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Service.
Scientists warned that rising temperatures are changing the nature of droughts in Europe, with heat increasingly playing a key role in reducing water availability even when rainfall levels are not significantly below average.
