Researchers say two-thirds of the continent is under some kind of drought warning.
Two-thirds of Europe is under warning of some form of drought, possibly the continent’s worst drought in 500 years.
The latest report from the Global Drought Observatory, linked to the European Commission’s research arm, says that 47% of the region is on alert, meaning the soil is drying up.
Are the other 17% in an emergency? that is, the vegetation is “showing signs of stress.”
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The report warns that the drought period will affect crop yields, trigger wildfires and may last several months longer in some southern European regions.
The European Union’s (EU) harvest estimates are 16% lower for corn grain, 15% for soybeans and 12% lower for sunflowers than the average of the last five years.
The European Commission warned that preliminary data showed “the current drought still looks like the worst in at least 500 years”.
Mariya Gabriel, commissioner for the study, said the ongoing heatwave and water shortages are “putting an unprecedented stress on water levels across the European Union”.
“We’re seeing an above-average wildfire season, and we’re seeing a huge impact on agricultural production. Climate change is undoubtedly becoming more pronounced every year,” he said.
The report warned that nearly all of Europe’s rivers are drying up to some degree.
In addition to its obvious impact on ships, dry rivers are also affecting the energy sector, which is already in crisis. According to the report, hydropower fell 20%.
The text says there was a “severe drought” in many places throughout the year, but “it has been expanding and worsening since the beginning of August.” Conditions in the European Mediterranean are expected to last until at least November this year.
The report warns that the situation is worsening in countries such as Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Romania, Hungary, northern Serbia, Ukraine, Moldova, Ireland and the United Kingdom.
The researchers’ stern warning follows rapidly declining river water levels across Europe, uncovering remnants of the past. including the so-called “hunger stones” that heralded possible periods of misery and the wreckage of Nazi ships from the Second World War.
And in the UK, which has officially declared drought in several areas, have some trees taken on a reddish-brown fall hue? It is considered “false autumn” because of the heat.
– This text has been published actually inside https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/internacional-62657240
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source: Noticias
