Europe faces historic drought affecting agriculture and rivers

Europe is facing a historic drought affecting half of the European Union and Great Britain. Low rainfall levels, attributed largely to climate change, are impacting river levels and agricultural cycles. In the Champagne region of France, grape harvests have been moved earlier in the year to avoid extreme daytime heat.

In the United Kingdom, the government has announced measures to assist farmers, including a 10-year plan to address global warming challenges in agriculture. Meanwhile, in Serbia, the Danube River has reached critically low levels, threatening hydroelectric power, local businesses, and biodiversity due to rising water temperatures.

In Portugal, viticulturists in the Douro region are facing a severe crisis due to difficulties in selling their grape production. To support small producers who are unable to process or sell their crops, the Portuguese government has approved an extraordinary aid package of approximately 12 million euros.