Roundup: Heatwaves, drought grip Europe, fueling calls for global action
Scientists and international agencies warn that this crisis is part of a broader "new era of drought," driven by climate change and posing escalating threats to food security, ecosystems, and national economies.
SCORCHING HEAT GRIPS EUROPE
Germany is experiencing what may be its hottest day of the year on Wednesday, with temperatures forecast to reach 40 degrees Celsius, according to the German Weather Service, which has issued extreme heat warnings across much of the country and highlighted a rising risk of wildfires, especially in the southeast.
Similar conditions are unfolding across Central Europe. In the Czech Republic, the national meteorological institute warned of "very high temperatures" and increased fire danger, with some regions expected to reach 37 degrees Celsius.
Prague's emergency services have already responded to multiple heat-related incidents, and a fire ban remains in effect.
Slovakia's meteorological authority issued its highest-level red alert for 10 districts on Thursday, forecasting highs up to 38 degrees Celsius as warm air masses from the west intensify the heat.
Neighboring Croatia and Romania are also on alert, with peak temperatures expected to reach 39 degrees Celsius and 37 degrees Celsius, respectively.
In the Netherlands, the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute confirmed the country's first official heatwave in three years. De Bilt, the national reference station, recorded five consecutive days above 30 degrees Celsius, prompting a code orange alert in the southeastern provinces.
Southern Europe is faring no better. Spain continues to endure a record-breaking heatwave, with June 2025 confirmed as the country's hottest month on record.
The Spanish meteorological agency AEMET reported an average monthly temperature of 23.6 degrees Celsius, hotter than typical July and August averages. Tragically, two farmers died on Tuesday in a wildfire that scorched 5,000 hectares in La Segarra, northeast Spain.
In Slovenia, the Environment Agency (ARSO) noted that June 2025 was not only the hottest but also the driest month since records began, with rainfall just 24 percent of the monthly average.
Heatwaves continue in Croatia, where the Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service (DHMZ) forecast maximum temperatures of 37 degrees Celsius on Wednesday and 39 degrees Celsius on Thursday.
Bosnia and Herzegovina issued an orange weather warning for July 3 and July 4, with temperatures expected to reach between 35 and 40 degrees Celsius. Meteorologist Bakir Krajinovic from the Federal Hydrometeorological Institute said that June 2025 was unprecedented in the country's measurement history, with zero rainfall recorded at meteorological stations in cities such as Tuzla and Mostar.
DROUGHT SPREADING, TAKING TOLL ON ECONOMY
These escalating conditions in Europe are part of a global pattern. A new report released Wednesday, Drought Hotspots Around the World 2023-2025, presents a stark picture. Jointly prepared by the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the U.S. National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC), the report warns that drought has become one of the most widespread and damaging crises of our time.
"Drought was once primarily associated with rainfall and agriculture," said Daniel Tsegai, program officer at UNCCD. "Today, it is a multi-sectoral, systemic shock. No sector, no part of the economy, and no country is immune to its impacts."
The report notes that the frequency of global droughts increased by 30 percent between 2000 and 2019. Driven by climate change and rising demands for land and water, droughts now threaten food supplies, water availability, biodiversity, energy systems, and public health, all critical pillars of society.
Mark Svoboda, co-author and founding director of NDMC, described the situation as "a slow-moving global catastrophe, the worst I've ever seen."
The economic toll is mounting rapidly. NDMC research cites an OECD estimate that the financial cost of drought today is at least double what it was in 2000, with further increases of up to 110 percent projected by 2035.
"Ripple effects can turn regional droughts into global economic shocks," said co-author Cody Knutson. "No country is immune when critical water-dependent systems start to collapse."
The report warns that drought is already costing some countries up to 10 percent of their GDP annually, and may soon disrupt energy grids, food supply chains, and entire ecosystems.
ACTION, GLOBAL COOPERATION IN URGENT NEED
The UNCCD urges countries to act immediately by investing in early warning systems, drought monitoring, and nature-based solutions such as watershed restoration. Building resilient infrastructure, including off-grid energy and alternative water technologies, is also crucial.
Tsegai emphasized that combating drought requires shifting from reactive crisis management to proactive, long-term planning. Addressing these interconnected threats demands coordinated action across sectors and governance levels, involving ministries, local communities, and national governments alike.
Although over 80 countries have developed national drought plans, the UNCCD warns that implementation remains a major gap. Without stronger execution and cooperation, experts caution the world could face increasingly severe and widespread drought-related crises.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
4 hours ago
- The Star
Typhoon Danas: Hong Kong forecaster says chance of higher signal is low
A woman wearing a face covering and using an umbrella to protect herself from heat walks along the Central Waterfront Promenade amid hot weather on July 4, 2025. - Photo: China Daily HONG KONG: Typhoon signal No. 1 will remain in force the whole day on Saturday (July 5), the Hong Kong Observatory has said, adding that the chance of issuing higher tropical cyclone warning signals is rather low. At 6.45am on Saturday (July 5), the forecaster issued a "very hot weather" alert, warning that the local weather will be very hot during the day and on Sunday with temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius or above in some parts of the territory. According to the present forecast, tropical storm Danas will move slowly over the northeastern part of the South China Sea and skirt around 400 kilometers southeast of Hong Kong for the rest of Saturday and Sunday morning, the forecaster said in an 8.45am bulletin. It is expected to accelerate northeastwards afterward in the general direction of the western coast of Taiwan to the vicinity of the Taiwan Strait. "The circulation of Danas is relatively small. Unless it intensifies significantly and adopts a track closer to the Pearl River Estuary, there will not be strong winds generally over the territory," reads the bulletin. The observatory cautioned the public that high temperatures will trigger showers and squally thunderstorms. As there are swells, it advised people to stay away from the shoreline and not to engage in water sports. 'Under the influence of prolonged heat, members of the public should stay on the alert to prevent heat stroke or other discomforts related to very hot weather and pay due attention to health conditions,' HKO said. It advised those more vulnerable to heat stroke to avoid outdoor activities and stay away from hot environments as far as possible. 'Stay in cool, well-ventilated or air-conditioned places,' it added. - China Daily/ANN
The Star
5 hours ago
- The Star
Greece battles wildfire in Evia, reports progress on Crete
ATHENS (Reuters) -Firefighters were battling a wildfire on the Greek island of Evia on Saturday which was burning forests and forced the evacuation of two villages, the fire brigade and authorities said. More than 160 firefighters along with 46 trucks and five aircraft were deployed in southern Evia, east of Athens, to put out the blaze, which broke out late on Friday, a fire brigade official told Reuters on condition of anonymity. Evia was on a list of several Greek regions that were on high alert for wildfires due to gale force winds due on Saturday. The authorities ordered the evacuation of the villages of Tsakeoi and the seaside seasonal settlement of Limnionas in the early hours. Southern Evia is a sparsely populated area of rugged mountains, agricultural land and popular seaside spots. The fire there is the latest in a series of bushfires stoked by strong winds and dry conditions this week as much of Europe sweltered in an early summer heatwave, which officials have linked to at least eight deaths on the continent. Another wildfire on the southern island of Crete, which has razed forest and olive groves since Wednesday and forced thousands of residents and tourists to temporarily evacuate, was largely contained, the fire brigade official said. Tourism is a key earner in Greece and the fires have hit at the start of the peak summer holiday season. Temperatures in Greece were forecast to reach up to 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) on Saturday, the Greek weather service said. Greece and other Mediterranean countries are in an area dubbed"a wildfire hotspot"by scientists - with blazes common during hot and dry summers. These have become more destructive in recent years due to a fast-changing climate, prompting calls for a new approach. (Reporting by Angeliki Koutantou; Editing by Alison Williams)
New Straits Times
10 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Greece battles wildfires as temperatures soar past 40°C
ATHENS: A new fire broke out on Friday near the Greek capital, Athens, as the country was put on high alert for wildfires due to increased temperatures and strong winds. Thousands of tourists and locals were meanwhile forced to flee hotels and guesthouses in a resort on the popular island of Crete. Hot, dry weather – not unusual for this time of year – has heightened the risk of summer fires and scientists say human-driven climate change is making them more frequent and more intense. The latest fire broke out in the municipality of Koropi, some 30 kilometres (20 miles) east of Athens, fanned by strong gusts. It quickly spread through the area, which includes homes surrounded by dense vegetation and extends to the shores of the Aegean Sea, and residents were ordered by text message to evacuate. Fire service spokesman Vassilis Vathrakoyannis said some 800 people had left their homes, as the flames "quickly grew to dangerous proportions" because of the wind, with several outbreaks. Roads on the outskirts of Athens were closed to traffic. Public television channel ERT broadcast images of fire damage to houses, olive groves and undergrowth. By late afternoon, a fire department official told AFP that the situation appeared "improved" but added "there remain some scattered clusters." "Operations are ongoing, mainly to control small outbreaks," he told reporters. In all, 120 firefighters were deployed, with 30 engines, eight planes and the same number of helicopters, fire service spokesman Vathrakoyannis said. A coastguard vessel was patrolling nearby. Concerns remain for the coming days, particularly Saturday, when temperatures are due to rise to above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). Greece had until now been generally spared the heatwave roasting parts of Europe, particularly Spain, Portugal and France over recent days. Among the most threatened regions were Attica, in the Athens region, which is home to more than four million people, as well as the northern part of the second-largest Greek island Euboea. In the past 24 hours, 47 agricultural and forest fires have broken out, most of which have been contained. Firefighters earlier managed to bring under control a separate fire which had on Thursday threatened the port of Rafina, around 20 kilometres northeast of Koropi, after some 300 local people were evacuated from their homes. Fire crews remained on alert, as the Rafina wildfire was not far from Athens International Airport and winds still posed a threat. The blaze destroyed a several houses and vehicles, local mayor Dimitris Markou told ERT. It also disrupted ferries to and from tourist islands in the western Aegean, including Mykonos. On the island of Crete, around 230 firefighters, 48 fire engines and six helicopters remained at the scene near the resort town of Ierapetra, even though the blaze was receding. Some 3,000 visitors had been forced to leave their hotels and guest houses on Wednesday evening and 2,000 local residents were also evacuated, authorities said. "The fire is retreating," Vathrakoyannis told AFP. "There are still fears of flare-ups but there is no longer a major front," he added. Scattered hot spots still remained and firefighters were dealing with several smoke-filled areas from which flare-ups had restarted, the fire department told the ANA press agency. Weakening winds in the hard-to-reach area had improved the situation, firefighters said, although a fire brigade spokesperson had warned overnight of some "difficult" days ahead. Last month, fires on Greece's fifth-biggest island Chios, in the northern Aegean, destroyed 4,700 hectares (11,600 acres) of land, according to the WWF and the National Observatory of Athens research institute. The most destructive year for wildfires was 2023, when nearly 175,000 hectares were lost and there were 20 deaths.--AFP
