Climate change worsens drought across Europe, scientists say

Climate change is exacerbating drought this year in Europe as extreme heat evaporates water supplies, scientists said in an analysis published on Thursday, after low water levels disrupted shipping, farming and industries in countries including Romania and Greece.

Numerous European countries are suffering drought conditions this summer. France fears it may have its smallest maize crop in 50 years, while Romania has restricted farmer access to ​water for irrigation, the Netherlands declared a water shortage last week and seven Greek islands have declared drought emergencies to preserve water.

Climate change was not the cause of the lack of rain in April-June this year, according to the analysis by the World Weather Attribution group of climate scientists.

Rather, climate change's role in the ongoing drought is that it has directly contributed to the extreme heat, which is accelerating how much water evaporates out of soils.

Evaporation-potential conditions were 80 times more likely in western Europe and 40 times more likely in eastern Europe in January-June compared with pre-industrial times before humans started burning fossil fuels on an industrial scale, WWA said.

"Extreme heat is taking over as the primary driver of drought on our continent," said Sarah Kew, a climate scientist at the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Service.

"We are seeing water supplies evaporate out of our soils and rivers faster than we would have in a world without climate change, turning what would have been manageable dry spells into severe droughts," she said.

The scientists said the findings indicate that climate change is altering the way droughts form in Europe — with lack of rain playing less of a role, while warmer air that prevents rain from staying in the ground is contributing more.

Agricultural soil droughts are now five times more likely in western Europe because of climate change, and 11 times more likely in eastern Europe, according to the WWA analysis.

-Reporting by Kate Abnett, Editing by Hugh Lawson/Reuters