Dry. Portugal is experiencing one of the worst situations of the century
ONE It forced the Government to take situational measures, such as financial support, changes and measures in the use of water, namely for energy production or irrigation. But water for human consumption is guaranteed.
drought levels
Drought levels are measured by the PDSI index (Palímer Drought Severity ndex), which has water available in capacity quantity, air temperature and soil capacity. Classify it as weak, moderate, severe and extreme. In June, according to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA), 67.9% of the territory was in severe drought, 28.4% in extreme drought and 3.7% in moderate drought. The IPMA indicates that this is the driest year on record (since 1931).
drought persistence
For a year, mainland Portugal has had a level of drought in most of the territory, with the exception of October last year, when it did not occupy most of the territory. In the winter months the entire country was in drought, with more than half of the territory in extreme drought last February.
In January, according to the IPMA, this month, in case of a very significant worsening of the drought, it will not remain at the end of the territory in drought, with 1% of drought in drought, with 1% of drought in drought, with 1% of drought in drought, 54% severe and 11% in extreme drought. January was the sixth driest month since 1931 and the second driest since 2000. It was also the fifth hottest since 2000.
On February 15, according to the IPMA, more than 90% of the territory was in severe or extreme drought.
In March, more than three-quarters of the territory was in severe and extreme drought. According to the IPMA, the period between October 2021 and March was the driest since 1931.
In April. Mainland Portugal had 81.9% of the territory in moderate drought and 17.9% in severe drought, according to the IPMA.
And in May almost the entire continent was in severe drought, making May the hottest and driest in 92 years.
Government Measures
The Government will report this year on February 1st for the first time to the Permanent Commission for the Prevention, Monitoring and Follow-up of the Effects of Drought. As of now, 10 meetings have taken place, in which almost a hundred measures have been taken. february over the past year 50 solutions were known in june over 28, among the water use conditions over 20 measures available.
This month, at the last meeting, which brought together the ministers of the Environment and Agriculture, more measures were taken, to reinforce the reservoirs and condition the use of water in the Algarve tourist sector.
Following the 01 meeting, which was followed by the February meetings to evaluate possible, the supply capacity was suspended due to the low replacement of energy use volumes stored in the stores, significantly below the observed observation and to guarantee the average volumes , for priority uses.
Also considered were the main titles of new water abstractions for private use in the suspended waters identified as.
Situation in agriculture and support measures
In agriculture, despite the Government stating that the 2022 irrigation campaign is guaranteed, given the storage levels of 37 of the 44 monitored reservoirs, such as the Bravura, Santa Clara, Campilhas, Serne and Monte da Rocha dams (Algarve and Alentejo). ), as well as proposed Arcossó and Vale Madeiro (North).
With regard to precision agriculture and efficiency in the use of resources, the Rural Development Program (PDR) 2020 has a notice, with an allocation of 24.5 million euros, whose applications take place on September 30th.
There is also a notice of 30 million euros for the water efficiency of the hydro-agricultural use of Mira and the new pumping station.
On the other hand, the Government wants to expand the use of reused water that is not irrigated from permanent water crops, namely the irrigation of permanent crops.
In Trás-os-Montes, a set of small dams, used for human consumption, is under “close monitoring”.
The Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) also provided for €200 million for the Algarve water efficiency plan.
The drought, said the Minister of Agriculture, jeopardizes agricultural production.
As early as last February, the European Union (EU) Agriculture ministers contested a drought situation in Portugal and Spain and possible aid, within the scope of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
In a debate in the European Parliament, the executive support already indicated being in contact with national and regional authorities for possible studies, within the framework of the European Parliament PAC, to face the drought.
general situation
According to the Government, in July 31 reservoirs for various purposes were in a critical situation, 10 with a stable volume and two with a greater reduction in water compared to June.
locations, from the north to the south of the country, are already being used for several purposes by auto-tanks, and many municipalities activate management plans and water consumption campaigns.
Environment Minister Duarte Cordeiro announced in June that the Environmental Fund has five euros for immediate measures to combat drought, whether for awareness campaigns or for millions, such as the reactivation of public abstractions and combating other parts of water.
Drought and climate change
Scientists say that climate change increases the probability and frequency of the dry season as well as heat waves (at least six consecutive days with a maximum temperature of 05°C of the average value for the time). Portugal should have more extreme temperature phenomena.
A 13 calorie in several mainland districts with the exception of IPMA heat, with temperatures in all mainland districts by warning, with very high temperatures, in all mainland districts, by 40 heat.
official drought
On June 27, the Government predicts the occurrence of a severe and extreme agro-meteorological drought situation throughout the continent, “which is an adverse climatic phenomenon, with repercussions of changes in agricultural activity”.
The official recognition was published in Diário da República through a June 21 dispatch from the Minister of Agriculture and Food, Maria do Céu Antunes.
At the time, the mild drought situation on the continent was stated, after improving in the months of March and April, “it again presented a significant worsening in the months of May and June 2022 with the negative impacts on agricultural activity”.
The official recognition of the situation of extreme or severe drought in mainland Portugal aims to minimize the effects of agricultural activity and on the income of agricultural droughts.
On March 2, the Minister of Agriculture had also signed an order in which the Government recognized the existence of severe and extreme drought in almost the entire country, which allowed to trigger support measures.
implications
In addition to the implications for agriculture or health, the drought led the Minister for the Environment and Climate Action to warn at the end of June that the Portuguese will have to get used to less water, in all activities. The Government also has in the application of consumption that has no warning.
Drought in Europe and the world
The drought that affects Portugal is also a cause for concern in many countries around the world. In mid-July the territory of the European Union was at risk due to prolonged drought, which is expected to cause a decline in crops in several, according to a report by the European Commission.
The southern Mediterranean countries, Europe and the area, according to experts, will be most owed by the lack of climate change, are climate change.
In terms of water, drought is an example, most of France, already with drinking water in several regions of the country, where the power is being the water for Switzerland, where the power is being used in alpine to Italy, with one Agricultural production at risk and where the state of emergency was contracted in five.
The United Kingdom or the United States has recently had heat waves and the Horn of Africa region is experiencing the worst drought in four decades, which has led more than 23 million people to face “extreme hunger” in recent Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya. , According to a report published in May by the organizations Save the Children and Oxfam.
In June, Secretary-General António Guterres said the drought “affects all regions in the most serious and frequent forms of nations”, affecting three times more than quarters of the world’s population in the middle of this century.
Also read: Dry? Country has to adapt and needs plans, warns scientist