Drought

The Amazon rainforest has lost an area about the size of Germany and France combined to deforestation in four decades, fueling drought and record wildfires across South America, experts have said.

The world's biggest jungle, spanning nine countries, is crucial to the fight against climate change due to its ability to absorb planet-warming carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Bulgaria has formally requested the activation of funds from the European Union's agricultural reserve due to extensive damage caused by the ongoing drought, announced Acting Minister of Agriculture Georgi Takhov, according to the ministry's press release. The request highlights that the country has also been severely affected by fires in July and August.

The ongoing drought in Bulgaria is attributed to record-high temperatures and outdated infrastructure, according to Acting Minister of Environment and Waters, Petar Dimitrov. He presented his assessment during a hearing before the National Assembly, where he was joined by Minister of Agriculture, Georgi Tahov, and Regional Minister, Violeta Koritarova.

Measures were announced on Tuesday to tackle future water shortages in Attica as the reservoirs of the Evinos and Mornos rivers are at historically low levels. More specifically, Attica will have enough water for four years if the drought of the last two years continues, according to announcement by the Environment Ministry and the state water company (EYDAP).

NEA SILATA - Six weeks before harvest, there's no water left in the ground for farmer Dimitris Papadakis' olive grove in northern Greece, so he has started a new morning routine.

Joined by his teenage son, he uses a truck to bring water from nearby areas. Using a small generator, he connects the vehicle to irrigation pipes to save what's left of his thirsty crop.

The Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company (EYDAP) is activating supplementary water sources to reinforce the water supply in Attica due to the prolonged drought, stated the CEO of EYDAP, Haris Sachinis, in an interview with the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA) published on Sunday. 

The Attica region is facing the prospect of water shortages, as the water reserves in Lake Mornos are decreasing significantly, according to a report on private broadcaster SKAI.

An artificial lake located in Central Greece, Mornos serves as a reservoir for the city of Athens.

In Greece, the aftermath of devastating fires and prolonged droughts has led to a sudden surge in food prices, which have risen by over 30%. The fires, which have destroyed more than 100 homes and devastated large areas of farmland, have left only ashes where once thriving greenhouses near Marathon stood. As a result, the local supply of fruits and vegetables has plummeted.

Scientists are focussing on seven Greek islands under the microscope, namely Agathonisi, Amorgos, Thasos, Kassos, Serios, Sifnos, and Paxos to calculate their current needs in terms of future water demand.

The scientific community is sounding the alarm over the water scarcity alert that has been sounded in many parts of the country. A total of 14 municipalities in the country have been declared a state of emergency by the General Secretariat of Civil Protection.