Europe's groundwater crisis deepens

Europe's groundwater, once considered abundant, is now facing a critical decline in both quality and quantity due to climate change and industrial overexploitation.

Zeynep Sentek, Jelena Prtorić, Sarah Pilz report for Under the Surface.

In short:

• More than 15% of Europe's aquifers are in poor condition, impacting major crop-producing countries like Spain, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
• Many countries fail to provide comprehensive data on groundwater status, hindering the assessment of the full extent of the crisis.
• The EU is criticized for not enforcing stricter water management laws, often succumbing to agricultural and chemical industry pressures.

Key quote:

“Water is difficult to find and expensive. It is no longer sustainable this way. More and more growers are giving up.”

— Bart Trybou, Belgian farmer

Why this matters:

Groundwater depletion and contamination threaten food security, public health, and economic stability across Europe. The failure to address this issue could lead to severe shortages and broader environmental crises. Read more: Farming for a small planet.