FT reports 'water crisis' in Europe due to drought and bad policies

Europe is at risk of worsening drought, and both ordinary farmers and energy producers may face water shortages in the coming years, as water is also needed to cool nuclear power plants, writes FT

More and more European regions are facing drought and water scarcity, leading to reduced crop yields. The problem is exacerbated by abnormally hot temperatures, increased wildfires and bad policies, writes the Financial Times (FT).

As the newspaper notes, the number and intensity of droughts in the EU "increased sharply" - by about 20% between 1976 and 2006 - and continue to grow. At the same time, the World Resources Institute (WRI) predicts that by 2030, global freshwater demand will exceed available supply by 56%, up 16% from McKinsey's 2009 forecast.

The FT predicts unrest will intensify amid a "water crisis" and cites the example of unrest between farmers in France and Spain, Europe's biggest water consumers. “In the coming years, a combination of bad politics, vested interests and rapid climate change is likely to make things worse,” the article says.

Xavier Leflaive, HEAD of the water resources group at the OECD's Environment Directorate, said there is no country in Europe that is completely immune to water scarcity. “Most of the [water] regimes in Europe are a legacy of times of abundance. Now they need to be reformed to take into account the deficit,” he said.

The consequences of such a shortage will be felt primarily by farmers, but will also hit energy producers, as water is needed to cool nuclear power plants and generate hydroelectric power, the FT notes.

According to the WRI index released this month, Belgium is the country with the most severe water shortage in Europe. This is due to high population density and poor infrastructure. Also, the southern regions of Spain and France, the north of Germany and the north-west of Poland are facing water shortages.

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Europe is warming faster than any other continent today. Because of this, meltwater flows in the Alps, which are crucial for the water supply of the continent, are reduced. In addition, arid soils do not retain enough rainwater, which depletes groundwater supplies, the newspaper writes.

“The problem we are facing is that we are running out of surface water, a readily available source. You take groundwater and then we use it at a much higher rate than it is replenished,” Ecolab scientist Jeff Townsend told the FT.

According to industry organization EurEau, despite concerns about water shortages, the EU's approach to water allocation remains so "sluggish" that an average of 25% of drinking water is lost due to leaky pipes. Bulgaria, Romania and Italy top the list of the worst countries in this regard, according to EurEau.

This summer has become one of the hottest not only in Europe, but also on the planet as a whole. July 2023 set a record for the hottest month on record on Earth, European climate watch service Copernicus reported. In addition, the hottest days in history were recorded in July - from the 5th to the 7th.

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