Greece ranks among Europe's driest countries as summer water stress escalates

A new EU analysis shows that while the continent overall uses only 5.8% of its renewable freshwater resources, the distribution of use varies sharply. Cyprus has consumed 72% of its water allotment, peaking at 92% during the summer, and Malta reaches 67% of its annual allocation in the same period. Greece is third on the list, with 37% of its water used and firmly inside the warning zone for the season.

Other nations also face pressure: Romania (34%), Portugal (31%), Italy (27%) and Spain (26.5%) are all in the warning band. The European Environment Agency reports that about one in ten EU residents struggles to obtain sufficient safe water, with the problem most acute in Cyprus (36.5% of the population) and Greece (31.5%). Climate‑change projections suggest that the frequency, intensity and impact of water shortages could rise sharply by 2030, prompting calls for water‑saving measures and increased desalination capacity across the region.