# Southern Europe braces for climate change-fuelled summer of drought
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2023-05-17
Category: LIFESTYLE
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/lifestyle
Meta Title: Southern Europe Prepares for Heatwave Drought
Meta Description: Southern Europe faces a summer of ferocious drought as climate change worsens, depleting water reserves and threatening hydropower production.
URL: https://financedigest.com/southern-europe-braces-for-climate-change-fuelled-summer-of-droughthtml

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# Southern Europe braces for climate change-fuelled summer of drought

By Kate Abnett

BRUSSELS (Reuters) -Southern Europe is bracing for a summer of ferocious drought, with some regions already suffering water shortages and farmers expecting their worst yields in decades.

As climate change makes the region hotter and drier, years of consecutive drought have depleted groundwater reserves. Soils have become bone [dry in Spain and southern France](https://www.financedigest.com/farming-and-tourism-under-threat-as-winter-drought-dries-up-frances-lake-montbel.html "Farming and tourism under threat as winter drought dries up France’s Lake Montbel"). [Low river and reservoir levels are threatening this summer’s hydropower production](https://www.financedigest.com/flexible-pay-can-boost-low-productivity-in-the-uk.html "Flexible pay can boost low productivity in the UK").

With temperatures climbing into summertime, scientists [warn Europe](https://www.financedigest.com/europe-unveils-hi-tech-satellite-to-speed-up-extreme-weather-warnings.html "Europe unveils hi-tech satellite to speed up extreme weather warnings") is on track for another brutal summer, after suffering its hottest on record last year – which fuelled a drought European Union researchers said was the worst in at least 500 years.

So far this year, the situation is most severe in Spain.

The situation of drought is going to worsen this summer,” said Jorge Olcina, professor of [geographic analysis](https://www.financedigest.com/serine-market-overview-analysis-with-outlook-geographical-segmentation-by-revenue-with-forecast-2022-2029.html "Serine Market Overview & analysis With Outlook, Geographical Segmentation By Revenue With Forecast 2022-2029") at the University of Alicante, Spain.

There’s little chance at this point of rainfall resolving the underlying drought, either. At this [time of the year](https://www.financedigest.com/german-tax-revenues-fall-in-august-for-first-time-this-year.html "German tax revenues fall in August for first time this year"), the only thing we can have are punctual and local storms, which are not going to solve the rainfall deficit,” Olcina said.

Seeking emergency EU assistance, Spain’s Agriculture Minister Luis Planas warned that “the situation resulting from this drought is of such magnitude that its consequences cannot be tackled with national funds alone,” according to an April 24 letter sent to the [European Commission](https://www.financedigest.com/ftx-collapse-shows-urgent-need-to-finalise-eu-crypto-rules-says-european-commission.html "FTX collapse shows urgent need to finalise EU crypto rules, says European Commission") (EC) and seen by Reuters.

[CLIMATE CHANGE](https://www.financedigest.com/climate-change-fight-a-core-duty-for-central-banks-ecbs-villeroy.html "Climate change fight a ‘core duty’ for central banks – ECB’s Villeroy") TREND

Southern Europe is not alone in [suffering severe water shortages](https://www.financedigest.com/one-in-three-london-startups-suffer-from-shortage-in-tech-talent.html "One in three London startups suffer from shortage in tech talent") this year. The Horn of Africa is enduring its [worst drought in decades](https://www.financedigest.com/german-bonds-set-for-worst-month-in-decades-as-inflation-hits-new-highs.html "German bonds set for worst month in decades as inflation hits new highs"), while a historic drought in Argentina has hammered soy and corn crops.

More frequent and severe drought in the Mediterranean region – where the average temperature is now 1.5C higher than 150 years ago – is in line with how scientists have forecast [climate change will impact](https://www.financedigest.com/climate-impacts-heading-to-uncharted-territories-of-destruction-un-chief.html "Climate impacts heading to ‘uncharted territories of destruction’ -UN chief") the region.

In terms of the [climate change](https://www.financedigest.com/exclusive-hsbc-fund-arm-toughens-thermal-coal-policy-to-curb-climate-change.html "Exclusive-HSBC fund arm toughens thermal coal policy to curb climate change") signal, it very much fits with what we’re expecting,” said Hayley Fowler, Professor of Climate Change Impacts at Newcastle University.

Despite these long-held forecasts, preparation is lagging. Many farming regions have yet to adopt water-saving methods like precision irrigation or switch to more drought-hardy crops, such as sunflowers.

“Governments are late. Companies are late,” said Robert Vautard, a [climate scientist and director of France’s](https://www.financedigest.com/france-to-host-pro-nuclear-meet-to-push-for-eu-recognition-of-climate-benefits.html "France to host pro-nuclear meet to push for EU recognition of climate benefits") Pierre-Simon Laplace Institute. Some [companies are not even thinking of changing the model of their consumption](https://www.financedigest.com/mldw-technology-market-size-share-top-leading-companies-consumption-drivers-trends-forces-analysis-revenue-challenges-and-global-forecast-2028.html "MLDW Technology Market: Size, Share, Top Leading Companies, Consumption, Drivers, Trends, Forces Analysis, Revenue, Challenges And Global Forecast 2028"), they are just trying to find some miraculous technologies that would bring water.

France is emerging from its driest winter since 1959, with [drought “crisis”](https://www.financedigest.com/analysis-covid-crisis-could-deepen-n-korea-food-shortages-amid-drought-warnings.html "Analysis-COVID crisis could deepen N.Korea food shortages amid drought warnings") alerts already activated in four departmental prefects, restricting non-priority water withdrawals – including for agriculture, according to government website Propluvia.

Portugal, too, is experiencing an early arrival of drought. Some 90% of the mainland is suffering from drought, with severe drought affecting one-fifth of the country – nearly five times the [area reported](https://www.financedigest.com/high-barrier-packaging-films-for-pharmaceuticals-market-set-for-5-cagr-through-2029-blisters-remain-top-application-area-says-a-new-fmi-report.html "High Barrier Packaging Films for Pharmaceuticals Market Set for 5% CAGR Through 2029; Blisters Remain Top Application Area, Says a New FMI Report") a year earlier.

In Spain, which saw less than [half its average rainfall through April this year](https://www.financedigest.com/tods-sales-rise-17-in-first-half-of-year.html "Tod’s sales rise 17% in first half of year"), thousands of people are relying on truck deliveries for drinking water, while regions including Catalonia have imposed water restrictions.

Some farmers have already [reported crop losses](https://www.financedigest.com/yen-stems-losses-after-report-of-boj-rate-check-hints-on-intervention.html "Yen stems losses after report of BOJ rate check, hints on intervention") as high as 80%, with cereals and oilseeds among those affected, farming groups have said.

This is the worst loss of harvest for decades,” Pekka Pesonen, who heads the [European farming group](https://www.financedigest.com/collinson-group-strengthens-its-european-team-with-appointment-of-mike-caidan.html "Collinson Group strengthens its European team with appointment of Mike Caidan") Copa-Cogeca, said of Spain. It’s worse than [last year’s](https://www.financedigest.com/over-50-of-businesses-increased-their-cyber-security-budget-last-year-amid-attacks.html "Over 50% of businesses increased their cyber security budget last year amid attacks") situation.

[Spain is responsible for half of the EU’s production](https://www.financedigest.com/spain-to-invest-5-1-billion-in-electric-vehicle-production.html "Spain to invest .1 billion in electric vehicle production") of olives and one third of its fruit, according to the Commission.

With its reservoirs at on average 50% of capacity, the country last week earmarked more than 2 [billion euros](https://www.financedigest.com/amazon-com-to-invest-over-1-billion-euros-in-european-electric-van-truck-fleet.html "Amazon.com to invest over 1 billion euros in European electric van, truck fleet") ($2.20 billion) in emergency response funding. It is still awaiting a reply from the Commission on its request for a 450-million-euro crisis [fund to be mobilized from the bloc’s farming subsidy budget](https://www.financedigest.com/when-activist-hedge-funds-come-knocking-answer-with-zero-based-budgeting.html "When activist hedge funds come knocking, answer with zero-based budgeting").

The Commission said it was monitoring the situation closely.

Severe drought in Southern Europe is particularly worrying, not only for the farmers there but also because this can push up already very high [consumer prices](https://www.financedigest.com/german-eu-harmonised-consumer-prices-up-8-8-y-y-in-august.html "German EU-harmonised consumer prices up 8.8% y/y in August") if the EU production is significantly lower,” Commission spokesperson Miriam Garcia Ferrer said.

Similar struggles could emerge in Italy, where up to 80% of the country’s [water supply](https://www.financedigest.com/best-paying-jobs-in-water-supply.html "Best Paying Jobs In Water Supply") goes toward agriculture. With this year’s thin mountain snow cover and low soil moisture, Italian farmers are planning to cut back – sowing summer crops across an area 6% smaller than last year’s planting area, according to [national data](https://www.financedigest.com/onespan-joins-national-cyber-security-alliance-data-privacy-day.html "OneSpan Joins the National Cyber Security Alliance on Data Privacy Day") on sowing intentions.

After two years of water scarcity, parts of northern Italy entered May with a 70% deficit in snow water reserves and a 40% deficit of soil moisture, said Luca Brocca, a Director of Research at [Italy’s National](https://www.financedigest.com/soccer-england-drawn-with-italy-and-germany-in-nations-league.html "Soccer-England drawn with Italy and Germany in Nations League") Research Council.

With the ground so parched, rain when it does arrive fails to soak in, with devastating consequences. Authorities in Italy on Wednesday said at least three people had been killed in floods in Italy’s Emilia Romagna region, where the rains were [expected to continue for several](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 ") hours.

($1 = 0.9084 euros)

(Reporting by Kate Abnett; editing by Katy Daigle and Sharon Singleton)


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