On 30 June 2023, the ZDF documentary by Jens Niehuss: "Drought in Europe; The catastrophe is homemade" was broadcast again on Arte-tv; it will remain online until 27.07.2023)
In the commentary on Arte-tv we read:
Drought in Europe
The catastrophe is homemade
Lower rainfall - even during the cooler seasons - is currently pushing regions in southern Europe to their limits. Dried-out soils and water shortages in tourist regions are just some of the consequences. Using examples from Germany, France, Spain and Romania, the documentary explores the question of the extent to which drought disasters are self-inflicted beyond climate change.
drought in Europe is not just a buzzword, it is scientifically proven: Southern Europe is not the only region under threat; even Germany and France are already experiencing extreme drought. Forest fires are increasing dramatically, fields are becoming dust deserts. Meteorologists speak of an underestimated danger and point to the state of European groundwater reservoirs - there is a water shortage throughout Europe.
German, French, Spanish and Romanian experts present their research findings in the documentary. Examples of the causes are shown: the spruce monocultures in German forests or the "Mare del Plástico", the plastic sea of greenhouses that stretches over 350 square kilometres in Spain. This is where the fruit and vegetables for our supermarkets are cultivated. And the future looks even more arid and hotter: This is why research is already being carried out in France on wine that is resistant to heat and drought.
The documentary shows how a forestry policy that has been misguided for decades and the consequences of intensive agriculture are fuelling the drought. Climate change has led to a lack of rainfall and hot summers, but the fact that this has turned into a drought also has a lot to do with politics and lobbying. But there is hope: the documentary presents EU measures, scientific projects and private initiatives to curb the drought: Keyword "European Green Deal" for biodiversity as well as the expansion of sustainable management of our fields and forests.
For further comments, please also read the commentary in the Frankfunter Rundschau from 2021 ,
and also my earlier comments:
U5. Why environmental protection is necessary, but climate protection is impossible!
A7. How Mars influences the weather.
A28. Weather forecasts: basically just a joke?