Researchers from the European Commission warned today, Monday, that about half of the European Union is at risk of drought, and countries in southwestern Europe are suffering from extreme heat.
A July report from the European Commission’s Joint Research Center found that 46% of EU land is at risk of drought and 11% is at risk as crops suffer from water shortages.
The European Union said Italy was the hardest hit country, where the Po River basin in the north of the country is facing the worst levels of severe drought.
In Spain, the amount of water in reservoirs is 31% less than the ten-year average, and the amount of water needed for hydroelectric power generation is half that of the previous seven years.
European Union researchers have also warned that water shortages and extreme heat are causing crop failures in France, Romania, Spain, Portugal and Italy.
According to the report, weather forecasts indicate that the situation will continue, exacerbating the impact of the current “extremely dangerous situation” on agriculture, energy and water resources.
