Jakarta –
The issue of global warming is real. Recent studies show that the water crisis on the European continent seems to be increasingly worrying.
A study from Graz University of Technology Austria said the water situation in Europe had become “very precarious”. A number of lakes in several European countries have dried up due to the infrequent rains.
“Several years ago, I never imagined that water would be a problem in Europe,” said one of the researchers, Torsten Mayer-Gurr as reported by CNN.
“We are really in trouble with regards to the water supply here. We have to think about this,” he added.
The study was made using data from two satellites named Tom and Jerry. The satellite orbits at an altitude of 490 km from the surface of the Earth with a distance of 200 km from one another.
Satellites that are behind cannot be far behind from those in front. Because of that, the two satellites are named Tom and Jerry, after the cartoon characters who are often in conflict.
One of the countries that experienced drought bad enough is France. The country experienced “32 consecutive days without significant rainfall from 21 January to 21 February”. This is the longest since 1959.
The rain crisis has made the lakes and rivers in France in critical condition. “The soil is drier than usual,” said Meteo-France climatologist Simon Mittelberger.
Mittelberger added, snowfall is also at a low level. It was in an area of the Pyrenees that was “close to record lows for the quantity of snow so far that year,” Mittelberger said.
In the Alps, snowfall was 63 percent less than usual, according to data from the CIMA Research Foundation. Snow crises in winter can also threaten water supplies in spring and summer. This is because there is no melting snow which can increase the water supply in the river.
Last summer, France experienced its worst drought. According to Mittelberger, the situation could “worse if there is no significant rainfall within the next few months,” Mittelberger said.
Meanwhile in Italy, the longest river Po has lost 61 percent more water than usual this year.
The Italian government last summer declared a state of emergency in the river area.
“2023 has only just begun. But it is already showing signs of worsening in terms of the weather and drought,” said Giorgio Zampetti, General Manager of Legambiente, an environmental group in Italy.
A similar situation occurred in Spain which experienced the hottest weather last year. This also has an impact on the water supply in Matador Country.
“We cannot guarantee water supply for drinking and the economy by relying only on rain,” said Minister of Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera.
In response to this situation, Spain has invested around US$24 billion or Rp366 trillion for water management such as improving sanitation and modernizing irrigation.
Watch Video “Plastic Rain: Exists, But Unnoticed“
(wsw/wsw)
