Large portions of Europe’s water reserves are depleting due to climate change, and Romania is among the affected countries.
Scientists from University College London (UCL), in collaboration with Watershed Investigations and The Guardian, analyzed data from the period 2002-2024 provided by satellites tracking changes in Earth’s gravitational field.
As water has significant mass, variations in groundwater levels, rivers, lakes, soil moisture, and glaciers appear in the detected signal, allowing satellites to effectively "weigh" how much water is stored.
Research reveals a clear imbalance: northern and northwestern Europe – especially Scandinavia, parts of the UK, and Portugal – have become wetter, while extensive areas in the south and southeast, including parts of the UK, Spain, Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany, Romania, and Ukraine, have started to dry up.
"When we compare the data on total terrestrial water storage with climate datasets, the trends generally correlate," said Mohammad Shamsudduha, a water crisis and risk reduction professor at UCL.
Alarm Signal for Skeptics
It should be an "alarm signal" for politicians still skeptical about emissions reduction, Shamsudduha said. "We are no longer talking about limiting global warming to 1.5°C; we are likely heading towards 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and we are now witnessing the consequences," the professor emphasized.
Researchers separated groundwater storage data from total water data and found that the trends of these more resilient water bodies reflected the bigger picture, confirming that a significant portion of Europe's hidden freshwater reserves are depleted.
Trends in the UK are mixed. "Overall, the west is getting wetter, while the east is getting drier, and this signal is becoming increasingly stronger. Although total precipitation may be stable or even slightly increasing, the pattern is changing. We see heavy rains and longer drought periods, especially in the summer," Shamsudduha said.
Groundwater is considered more climatically resilient than surface water, but summer torrential rains often lead to losses through rapid runoff and sudden floods, and the groundwater recharge period during winter may become shorter, he said.
"In southeast England, where groundwater provides about 70% of public water supply, these precipitation patterns could pose serious challenges," Shamsudduha further stated.
According to the European Environment Agency, the total amount of water extracted from surface water and groundwater in the EU between 2000 and 2022 has decreased, but groundwater abstractions have increased by 6%, attributed to public water supply (18%) and agriculture (17%).
England to Face Severe Water Restrictions
It is a critical resource: in the member states, groundwater accounted for 62% of total public water supply and 33% of the water needs for agriculture in 2022.
A spokesperson for the European Commission stated that the EU's water resilience strategy "aims to help member states adapt their water resource management to climate change and respond to pressures from human activities."
The strategy aims to build a "water-smart economy" and is accompanied by a Commission recommendation on water efficiency, calling for a "minimum 10% improvement by 2030." With losses ranging from 8% to 57% across the bloc, the Commission asserts that reducing pipeline losses and modernizing infrastructure will be crucial.
Hannah Cloke, a hydrology professor at the University of Reading, said, "It is disturbing to see this long-term trend, as we have recently experienced very large droughts and constantly hear that this winter we may have lower than usual precipitation.
In the coming spring and summer, if we do not receive the necessary precipitation, there will be severe consequences for us here in England. We will face severe water restrictions, making life very difficult for everyone."
The Environment Agency has already warned England to prepare for a drought that will continue into 2026 unless significant winter rains occur.
Water Minister Emma Hardy stated, "There is increasing pressure on our water resources. That is why this government is taking decisive action, including developing nine new reservoirs to help ensure long-term water resilience."
However, simply "promising very large reservoirs that will not come online for several decades will not solve the problem immediately," Cloke said.
Significant Impacts
"We should focus on water reuse, using less water from the start, separating drinking water from recycled water that could be used for other purposes, utilizing nature-based solutions, and how we design new developments," she added.
Europe's drying trend will have "significant" impacts, affecting food security, agriculture, and water-dependent ecosystems, especially groundwater-fed habitats," Shamsudduha said.
The declining reserves in Spain, he said, could directly impact the UK, which heavily relies on Spain and other European countries for fruits and produce.
The types of climate impacts long observed in the southern world, from South Asia to Africa and the Middle East, are now "much closer to home," with climate change "clearly affecting Europe itself."
"We must accept that climate change is real, happening, and affecting us," said Shamsudduha, calling for better water management and openness to "new, even unconventional ideas," including large-scale rainwater harvesting in countries like the UK.