The nightmare of drought threatens the energy markets and the food of Europeans

European countries may now face extreme drought twice as often in the coming decades as they do today if they fail to meet their emission reduction target.

This supports new research that captures how changing rainfall patterns puts even more people at risk for climate change.

The European continent is moving towards a future with even more extreme droughts, according to a study published. This is expected to jeopardize agricultural crops, hydroelectric power generation, and river transport.

And while scientists have long predicted that areas in the Mediterranean and the Iberian Peninsula will experience warmer and drier weather, current forecasts for droughts may rise by 50% in the Alps, France, and Eastern Europe.

Seasonal rainfall patterns are also expected to change, with more rainfall during the winter and drier summers.