Water shortage threatens harvesting: UBA demands urgent measures!
Water shortage threatens harvesting: UBA demands urgent measures!
The impending shortage of water in Germany and Europe ensures large worry lines among environmental authorities and farmers. The Federal Environment Agency (UBA) warns: Dür reperaen not only add the floors and plants, they also endanger the harvests. This Situation is still exacerbated by the existing high risk of forest fire in many regions, especially in Central Germany. UBA President Dirk Messner points out that agriculture is urgently dependent on reliable water strategies to cope with the challenges today.
"We all have to learn to deal with water more economically," emphasizes Messner. Possible restrictions in private water use, such as garden irrigation and pool filling, are not excluded to counteract the impending crisis. After all, not only we humans are dependent on water, but also our food production.
water consumption and agricultural challenges
The EU Commission is now going one step further and is planning a comprehensive water strategy for reducing water consumption before summer, as the
In Europe, there are no proud 28 percent of water withdrawals on agriculture. In Germany in particular, an increase in irrigated areas from 2012 to 2022 shows by around 50 percent. This development illustrates the increasing pressure on water resources, whereby agriculture is currently using 2 percent of the water taken from the natural water cycle.
quality of the waters under pressure
However, the challenges affect not only quantity, but also the quality of the available water. According to the European Environment Agency (EUA), only 37 percent of surface waters in the EU achieved a “good” ecological state in 2021, and only 29 percent concluded the criteria for good chemical condition. This alarming situation is caused by chemicals from industry and agriculture, but also by newly emerging pollutants such as microplastics that get into the water through rain and surface drainage.
The European Parliament is pushing for a stricter implementation of the existing EU guidelines, such as the Water Framework Directive. There is an urgent need for action to reduce the burden of chemical or harmful substances. Citizens and politics are required to address this challenge together in order to guarantee sufficient and safe water supply even in future generations.
In summary, Germany and Europe face major challenges in relation to water shortages. It is now up to all of us to deal responsibly with this valuable resource and find sustainable solutions.
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| Ort | Dessau-Roßlau, Deutschland |
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