# Europe facing its worst drought in 500 years – study
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-08-23
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: Europe Faces Worst Drought in 500 Years
Meta Description: Find out how Europe is coping with the worst drought in 500 years, affecting inland shipping, crop yields, and electricity production. Get the latest update
URL: https://financedigest.com/europe-facing-its-worst-drought-in-500-years-studyhtml

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By Philip Blenkinsop

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Europe is facing its worst drought in at least 500 years, with two-thirds of the continent in a state of alert or warning, reducing inland shipping, electricity production and the yields of certain crops, a European Union agency said on Tuesday.

The August report of the European Drought Observatory (EDO), overseen by the European Commission, said 47% of Europe is under warning conditions, with clear deficit of soil moisture, and 17% in a state of alert, in which vegetation is affected.

The [severe drought affecting](https://www.financedigest.com/outbreak-of-the-covid-19-pandemic-is-expected-to-severely-affect-the-global-packaging-and-labelling-services-market.html "Outbreak of The COVID-19 Pandemic is Expected To Severely Affect The Global Packaging And Labelling Services Market ") many regions of Europe since the beginning of the year has been further expanding and worsening as of early August,” the report said, adding that the western Europe-Mediterranean region was likely to experience warmer and drier than normal conditions until November.

Much of Europe has faced weeks of baking temperatures this summer, which worsened the drought, caused wildfires, [set off health](https://www.financedigest.com/investment-in-mental-health-amongst-cybersecurity-professionals-set-to-increase-according-to-infosecurity-europe-poll.html "Investment in mental health amongst cybersecurity professionals set to increase according to Infosecurity Europe poll") warnings, and prompted calls for more action to tackle climate change.

The current drought appeared to be the worst in at least 500 years, assuming final [data at the end](https://www.financedigest.com/wall-st-ends-lower-treasury-yields-slide-as-data-fuels-recession-jitters.html "Wall St ends lower, Treasury yields slide as data fuels recession jitters") of the season confirmed the preliminary assessment, the Commission said in a statement.

Summer crops have suffered, with 2022 yields for grain maize set to be 16% below the average of the previous five [years and soybean and sunflowers yields set to fall by 15%](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-car-sales-hit-30-year-low-in-2022-but-could-grow-15-this-year-smmt.html "UK car sales hit 30-year low in 2022, but could grow 15% this year – SMMT") and 12% respectively.

Hydropower generation has been hit, with further impact on other power producers due to a shortage of water to feed [cooling systems](https://www.financedigest.com/global-skin-cooling-systems-market-2021-2028-to-register-substantial-global-expansion-by-2028.html "Global Skin Cooling Systems Market (2021-2028) To Register Substantial Global Expansion By 2028").

Low water levels have hampered inland shipping, such as along the Rhine, with reduced shipping loads affecting coal and [oil transport](https://www.financedigest.com/chevron-considering-rail-transport-for-kazakhstan-oil-ceo-says.html "Chevron considering rail transport for Kazakhstan oil, CEO says").

The EDO said mid-August rainfall may have alleviated conditions, but in some cases it had come with thunderstorms that [caused further damage](https://www.financedigest.com/flood-most-damaging-peril-of-2016-causing-nearly-one-third-of-210bn-global-economic-losses-according-to-aon-catastrophe-report.html "Flood most damaging peril of 2016, causing nearly one-third of 0bn global economic losses – according to Aon catastrophe report").

The observatory’s drought indicator is derived from measurements of precipitation, soil moisture and the fraction of [solar radiation absorbed by plants](https://www.financedigest.com/botswana-awards-norways-scatec-first-large-scale-solar-plant-contract.html "Botswana awards Norway’s Scatec first large-scale solar plant contract") for photosynthesis.

(This story has been refiled to fix typographical error in headline)

(Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; Editing by Benoit Van Overstraeten and Tomasz Janowski)


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