China News Service, August 12 (Guan Na) The summer of 2022 will be particularly difficult for European countries.

Not only has it experienced "one of the three hottest Julys on record," but it could also experience "the worst drought in about 500 years."

Europe, already "tired" by the energy crisis and food crisis, is not only facing "baking" tests, but also many tests.

One of the hottest summers ever

　　The World Meteorological Organization recently pointed out that July this year was included in the top three hottest July since meteorological records began, breaking high temperature records in many places around the world, and the long-lasting and intense heatwave especially affected many regions in Europe.

On July 19, local time, the temperature in parts of the United Kingdom reached as high as 40.2 degrees Celsius, which is the first time the temperature in the United Kingdom has exceeded 40 degrees Celsius.

　　On the temperature map, a fiery red.

Parts of Portugal, Spain, France and the United Kingdom all recorded high temperatures in excess of 40 degrees Celsius.

　　Foreign media said that this summer may be one of the hottest summers on record in continental Europe.

Not only the European region, but also the Antarctic, it is difficult to escape the threat of heat waves.

　　The Copernicus Climate Change Service observed that Antarctic sea ice extent reached the lowest level for July in the 44-year satellite data record, well below the lowest point recorded in July last year.

Antarctic sea ice extent has been well below average since February, especially when it just hit a record low in June.

This July's observations undoubtedly continued this trend.

　　World Meteorological Organization Director-General Taalas has said that this year's heat waves have become the norm.

Heatwaves in Europe will become more frequent, more intense, and will last longer.

　　While Europe experienced waves of extreme heat waves in July, with record-breaking high temperatures in many countries, the World Meteorological Organization noted that July's temperature and rainfall trends continued in August.

At the same time, drought began to affect many aspects of social life.

Worst drought in 500 years

　　Recently, Andrea, a researcher at the European Commission's Joint Research Centre who collects data for the European Drought Observatory, warned that Europe could experience its worst drought in about 500 years.

On June 19, local time, in Benasco, Turin province, Italy, the Sangone River, one of the tributaries of the Po River, was experiencing the worst drought in 70 years, and the riverbed was dry to the bottom.

　　The latest data from the European Drought Observatory (EDO) shows that in mid-to-late July, 47% of the European Union was in a "warning" state, and 17% of the land entered the highest level of "alert" status due to drought.

　　The country is experiencing its worst drought on record, with an average of less than 10 millimeters of precipitation across France in July, and only 15 percent of the rainfall nationwide, the country's Meteorological Service said.

　　On August 5, French Minister of Ecological Transformation and Territorial Coordination Besch said that there is no drinking water in the water supply pipelines of more than 100 French towns and cities, and these towns need to rely on water tankers for water supply. the possibility of distributing bottled water in regions.

　　The situation in France is only a microcosm of Europe.

　　Official data from Spain showed that in early August, the country's reservoirs were filling just 40 percent of the water on average, well below the decade-old average of around 60 percent.

"We are in a particularly dry, very difficult year," said Rivera, Spain's deputy prime minister and minister for ecological transition.

　　In Italy, the water level of the longest river, the Po, has dropped sharply, leaving large stretches of sandy banks exposed to the sun.

The low water level even allowed a submerged World War II bomb to show up on the riverbank.

On August 7, local time, Borgo Virgilio, Italy, suffered the worst drought in 70 years, and a World War II-era bomb was found in the dry riverbed.

　　Troops in the Swiss canton of Obwalden were also called up to deliver water from Lake Sarnen by helicopter to the "thirsty" cows.

Even the Netherlands, which focuses on flood control, recently announced water shortages, and then launched a drought-relief policy.

Energy, food crises worsened

　　With the continued aggravation of drought, countries have also encountered difficulties in water-based energy utilization, which makes the European energy crisis even worse.

The European Commission said nearly half of EU countries were hit by drought, affecting agriculture, energy production and water supply.

　　As the "lifeline" of the European economy, the water level of the Rhine River has dropped to the point where it is close to shutting down navigation.

The low water level will not only affect the output of Germany's two largest coal-fired power plants in the next month, but will also put pressure on the transportation of coal, oil, etc.

　　Shipping capacity has been halved on the lower Rhine, the waterway that is the lifeblood of coal from the Dutch port of Rotterdam to Germany.

In response to the gas crisis amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Germany is importing large quantities of coal and increasing the supply of coal-fired power plants. The drought has made the energy problem even more difficult.

On August 9, local time, in Bingen, Germany, a transport vessel sailed on the partially dried-up Rhine River.

　　At the same time, the food crisis caused by high temperature and drought has once again become prominent.

　　The global food crisis has just eased as Ukrainian ports resume grain exports one after another.

But there have been warnings that extreme weather and supply chain issues have exacerbated the food crisis and could continue for some time.

　　A recent report by the Joint Research Centre, the European Commission's scientific service, forecasts that production of the EU cereals maize, sunflower and soybeans will fall by 8-9% due to hot and dry summers, well below the five-year average.

　　The olive harvest in Spain, the world’s largest exporter of olive oil, is dismal, with production in unirrigated areas expected to be 20 percent below the average of the past five years.

French farmers also warned that corn production would fall 18.5 percent from last year.

The French farmers' federation pointed out that the drought has reduced food and feed, and that milk shortages are likely to occur in the coming months.

　　"The drought in previous months, combined with the high temperatures and low precipitation rates seen in many areas in July, could adversely affect agricultural production and other industries such as river transport and energy production," said Copernicus scientist Bomberg. Finish)