Drought Ravages Europe, Costing Billions and Crippling Key Industries

As of September 2025, Europe is grappling with a severe drought crisis that is wreaking havoc across the continent. According to a recent study, annual drought losses in the EU, UK, Norway, and Switzerland are projected to reach a staggering €17.5bn by 2025 if global heating reaches 3°C above pre-industrial levels.

The impact is being felt most acutely in the agricultural sector. Farmers like Thomas Goebel in south Brandenburg, Germany, have seen their crop yields plummet by 40-75% compared to the last two decades. Goebel, who chairs the local farmer's association, describes the hot and dry weather as a constant struggle, with his sunflowers and corn shriveling up daily.