Water resources across Europe — confronting water scarcity and drought

Despite the vast amount of water on the planet, decades of unsustainable management mean that water shortages have reached crisis point in many regions. Globally, humans appropriate more than 50 % of all renewable and accessible freshwater, while billions still lack the most basic water services (Pacific, 2009). Until now, most Europeans have been insulated from the social, economic and environmental impacts of severe water shortages. But as demand increases and the global climate changes, is Europe becoming more susceptible?