Europe on the brink of a systemic water crisis as drought grips the continent
Europe is facing one of the most severe droughts in modern history. For the fourth consecutive month, more than half of the continent and the Mediterranean region have been suffering from water shortages, threatening agriculture, economy, and ecosystems, Kazinform News Agency reports.
According to the European Environment Agency (EEA), the most critical shortages are observed in Cyprus, Malta, Greece, Portugal, Spain, and Romania. Outside the EU, Türkiye is facing the greatest strain, with groundwater depletion already causing dangerous sinkholes.
Copernicus data points to climate change as the main driver, with Europe warming faster than any other continent. Persistent high pressure systems are diverting rainfall north, while changes in land use, including uprooting vineyards in France and planting water intensive crops like avocados in Spain, are making the situation worse.
The consequences are already visible. According to the United Nations, Spain’s olive harvest has dropped by 50% and olive oil prices have doubled, while Morocco’s sheep population has fallen by 38%. Since the start of the year, Portugal has lost over 25,700 hectares to wildfires, while one of the largest blazes in southern France destroyed 11,100 hectares of forest.
Government Response
The European Commission has proposed cutting water consumption by at least 10% by 2030, upgrading infrastructure, reducing leak-related losses, and expanding wastewater reuse, which currently accounts for only 2.4%.
The UK aims to reduce water use by 20% by 2050, build 10 new reservoirs, link regional networks, roll out smart metering, and expand wastewater recycling. The government has also urged citizens to save water by collecting rainwater for gardens, fixing leaking toilets (which can waste up to 400 liters a day), reusing kitchen water for plants, avoiding lawn watering, taking shorter showers, and even deleting old photos and emails, since data centers require vast amounts of water for cooling.
The European Central Bank warns that a chronic shortage could cut up to 15% from the eurozone’s GDP, driving food prices higher, eliminating agricultural jobs, and fueling social unrest. Without urgent, large-scale measures, experts say drought will become a permanent threat to the region’s food and economic security.