The plant cover, the vineyards assam, the rivers minguam, agricultural crops break, lives and livelihoods are under threat. It is Europe facing its worst drought in more than 500 years and suffering widespread impacts. The effects of water scarcity are so impactful that they can be seen from space.

The European Union's Copernicus Programme, which operates Earth observation satellites, posted on Twitter a surprising video showing how much Europe dried up between July and August this year, compared to the same period last year. Following images, vast regions have gone from green green to a rid brown.

At least half of the continent has been under some kind of warning in recent months because of the drought. "The severe drought affecting many regions of Europe has been expanding and worsening since the beginning of August," said a report by the European Drought Observatory, adding that part of the continent is likely to experience warmer and drier conditions than normal by November.

Behind the phenomenon is the climate emergency, which has contributed to more droughts and water scarcity around the world. On the African continent, below-average rainfall for four consecutive years has had a devastating effect on agriculture and food production. More than 18 million people in Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya face severe famine.

According to the UN, the frequency and duration of droughts has increased by almost a third since the 2000s. Between 1970 and 2019, droughts accounted for 15% of the recorded natural disasters, being responsible for approximately 650,000 deaths during this period. By 2030, an estimated 700 million people could be displaced by drought.

In a report released in May, the United Nations showed that the drought also paints a bleak picture around ecosystems: about 12 million hectares of land are lost each year due to drought and desertification. More sustainable and efficient agricultural management techniques, conscious use of water in economic activities and forest restoration are pointed out as solutions to face this scenario.

Source: Um só Planeta