- Title: Climate change has Europe bracing for further drought and crop failures
- Date: 17th May 2023
- Summary: NEFZA, TUNISIA (JANUARY 7, 2023) (REUTERS) (MUTE) DRONE SHOT SHOWING SIDI EL BARRAK DUE LOW LEVELS OF WATER NEFZA, TUNISIA (JANUARY 7, 2023) (REUTERS) MAN WALKING ON SIDI EL BARRAK DAM SILIANA, TUNISIA (JANUARY 4, 2023)(REUTERS) FARMERS FILLING WATER IN A CONTAINER FROM SILIANA DAM TRACTOR PULLING CONTAINER TUNISIAN FARMER, HATEM NAFROUDI, WITH HOSEPIPE WATER POURING ONTO GROUND FROM HOSEPIPE NAFROUDI WORKING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TUNISIAN FARMER, HATEM NAFROUDI, SAYING: "Look at these trees, I planted them recently. If I had known that things would turn out to be like this, I would not have planted them. Like these small olive and almond trees, there is nothing encouraging. As for the climate, it has changed. Agriculture is no longer profitable†TREES IN DROUGHT CONDITIONS
- Embargoed: 31st May 2023 05:01
- Keywords: climate change climate science crop failure drinking water drought europe forecast france heat italy mediterranean pools spain tunisia weather
- Location: VARIOUS LOCATIONS
- City: VARIOUS LOCATIONS
- Country: Belgium
- Topics: Environment,Europe,Weather
- Reuters ID: LVA008200512052023RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: 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, southern France, Italy and in Northern African countries like Tunisia.
Low river and reservoir levels are threatening this summer’s hydropower production and access to drinking water.
As temperatures climb into summertime, scientists warn Europe is on track for another brutal summer, after suffering its hottest on record last year – which fuelled a drought EU researchers said was the worst in at least 500 years.
More frequent and severe drought in the Mediterranean - where average temperatures are now 1.5C higher than 150 years ago – is in line with how scientists have forecast climate change will impact the region.
“The very dry Sahara, southern Mediterranean conditions are moving northwards so we are just going to expect drier conditions in the whole Mediterranean region and this is going to cause a lot of impacts on farmers, and on households and on industry,“ said climate scientist, Wim Thiery, from Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium.
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.
France is emerging from its driest winter since 1959, with drought "crisis" alerts already activated in four departmental prefects, restricting non-priority water withdrawals - including for agriculture, according to government website Propluvia.
In Spain, which saw less than half its average rainfall through April this year, thousands of people are now relying on truck deliveries for drinking water, while regions including Catalonia have imposed water restrictions.
Some farmers have already reported crop losses as high as 80%, with cereals and oilseeds among those affected.
Such deep shortages set the stage for a repeat of last year's summer, when Italy suffered its most severe drought in 70 years.
"We must prepare for a future that is even drier and even hotter," said Thiery.
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