Europe is facing its worst drought in at least 500 years, with two-thirds of the continent on alert or warning, reducing inland shipping, power generation and some crop yields, a European Union agency said. The August report by the European Drought Observatory (EDO), overseen by the European Commission, said 47% of Europe is under warning conditions as soil moisture dries up and 17% of the area is on alert as vegetation. is affected. “The severe drought affecting many parts of Europe since the beginning of the year is extending and worsening further from early August,” the report said, adding that the Western Europe-Mediterranean region is likely to experience warmer and drier than normal conditions until November. Much of Europe has faced weeks of baking temperatures this summer, which have worsened drought, sparked wildfires, health warnings and prompted calls for more action to tackle climate change. The current drought appeared to be the worst in at least 500 years, provided final figures at the end of the season confirmed the preliminary assessment, the commission said in a statement on Tuesday. Summer crops have suffered, with 2022 corn yields 16% below the previous five-year average and soybean and sunflower yields down 15% and 12% respectively. Hydropower generation has been hit and other power producers have been hit by the lack of water to feed cooling systems. Low water levels hampered inland shipping, such as along the Rhine River, with reduced shipping loads affecting the transport of coal and oil. The EDO said rains in mid-August may have moderated conditions, but in some cases, they came with thunderstorms that caused further damage. The observatory’s drought index is derived from measurements of precipitation, soil moisture, and the fraction of solar radiation absorbed by plants for photosynthesis.
