Drought: Here, There, and Everywhere

Drought: Here, There, and Everywhere

We are certainly hearing quite a bit about drought in this country. On August 18, 2022, CNN reported that there is less and less water in the #ColoradoRiver , with more demand on that water than ever before.?

Some states, such as Arizona, may lose as much as 21 percent of their water supply in the coming years if drought conditions do not lift.

However, drought conditions are happening all over the world. They just are not getting as much attention in the U.S. as they should be.?

For instance, according to?The European Sting, an independent newspaper based in Brussels, using recent data provided by the #WorldEconomicForum , these are some of the conditions impacting Europe:

• Northern Italy is experiencing its worst drought in 70 years.
• The Po, Italy’s longest river – once a vital transportation hub that also helped Italy become an important manufacturing center – is drying up.?According to Euronews.green, another European news outlet, it is “drastically below the seasonal average” for this time of year.
• France is experiencing its worst drought since precipitation records began in 1958. Water restrictions are in place throughout the country, and the corn harvest this year is expected to be 20 percent lower than in 2021. This will cause inflation in France and other parts of Europe.
• Portugal has just experienced its hottest July on record. Ninety-nine percent of the country is now in severe to extreme drought, the two most acute and dangerous drought conditions.??
• Romania’s wheat,?corn,?and barley production could be around 25.8 million metric tons this year, down 5.1 percent from last year, mostly due to drought conditions.
• And in England, the BBC reports that the first six months of 2022 have been the driest in England since 1976. If these drought – and heat – conditions persist, it is expected that by 2050, many rivers in the UK will have up to 80 percent less water than they had just a few years back. Water restrictions have not been put into place but are expected.

The big concern for the #UnitedNations about the drought impacting Europe, the U.S., and parts of Africa is food.

The UN reports that by 2050, as many as 5.7 billion people will live in areas with chronic water shortages. Not only will there not be enough water for human consumption, but there will not be enough for agriculture.?

However, the UN also says there is hope. For instance:

·?????Greater investment in technologies that reduce the use of fossil fuels – reducing the number of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere – will help slow “desertification.” This refers to areas of the world that once had enough water to support people, crops, and industries but are now becoming deserts.

·?????Some countries in Africa with significant drought conditions are switching the types of crops grown, from those that are heavily water-consuming to those that use far less water.

·?????Drip irrigation systems are helping farmers reduce water consumption in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Indonesia. Doing so has improved water efficiency by 43 percent and, at the same time, increased agricultural yields by as much as 15 percent.

As we have reported in past blog posts, #waterefficiency is our best weapon against drought conditions, whether it involves farmers, consumers, or businesses. Finding ways to use less water and use it more efficiently will help us all adjust to continuing, worldwide drought conditions.

Klaus Reichardt is CEO and founder of Waterless Co, Inc, pioneers in advancing water efficiency. ?Reichardt founded the company in 1991 with the goal of establishing a new market segment in the plumbing fixture industry with water efficiency in mind. Reichardt is a frequent writer and presenter, discussing water conservation issues.?He can be reached at [email protected]

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Droughts are getting worse around the world, here’s why and what needs to be done – The European Sting - Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology - europeansting.com.