This is not an isolated case, nor a single unlucky region: in the summer of 2026 rivers, lakes, and water reserves are hitting negative records on four continents simultaneously. From the Rhine to the Colorado, from the Horn of Africa to the Mekong, the combination of heat waves, insufficient rainfall, and an El Niño described as one of the most intense ever recorded is putting pressure on agriculture, energy, and the economy in dozens of countries.
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Europe: agriculture, transport, and energy in difficulty
The continent is experiencing its fifth heat wave of the year, whose effects also reach the northernmost countries. Almost three quarters (71.3%) of England and the entire Wales are officially in drought, with 27 million inhabitants subject to water restrictions. July was the driest month ever recorded in England. With a drop in agricultural production after the earliest harvests in the last 20 years, the National Farmers’ Union warns that the ongoing dry climate could cause food shortages.
Meanwhile, France is heading towards its poorest corn harvest since 1980 (-35% year-on-year), with repercussions already on Paris agricultural futures.
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In Italy the largest rice district in Europe, 235,000 hectares between Lombardy and Piedmont, has had to adopt a rotational irrigation system, and Confagricoltura Pavia estimates potential losses of over 100 million euros. Lake Maggiore is in extreme drought, and the Po River has hit a record low in Cremona.
Also in Kaub, Germany, the Rhine has reached its lowest level since measurements began in 1880. Barges can no longer move towards the Antwerp-Rotterdam-Amsterdam port hub, forcing chemical industry giants like Basf, Evonik, Lanxess, and Covestro to divert goods by rail and road, at a high cost: replacing a single barge requires up to 60 trucks.
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