‘I couldn’t look’: European farmers on losing crops as the industry collides with worsening drought – The Guardian

Report on European Drought Conditions and Their Impact on Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: Worsening Drought and the Threat to Sustainable Development

Severe and widespread drought conditions across Europe are posing a significant threat to the achievement of multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Driven by climate change, the lack of precipitation and extreme heatwaves are creating cascading economic and social crises, impacting agriculture, industry, and energy production. This report analyzes the multifaceted consequences of the drought through the lens of the SDGs, highlighting threats to food security, economic stability, and climate resilience.

Agricultural Sector Under Threat: Implications for SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 1 (No Poverty)

The food system is the most vulnerable sector, with direct and severe consequences for SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 1 (No Poverty). Farmers across the continent are reporting catastrophic crop failures, leading to significant income loss and threatening their livelihoods.

Case Studies of Agricultural Distress

• Thomas Goebel, South Brandenburg, Germany: As chairman of the local farmer’s association, Goebel reported crop yield reductions of 40-75% compared to the two-decade average. Financial pressures have forced him to sell assets, including machinery and woodland, to manage liquidity issues, directly impacting his economic stability and undermining progress towards SDG 1.
• Lilian Guzmán, Berlin, Germany: Reported a “total failure” of her rapeseed crop due to drought conditions impacting sandy soils that struggle with water retention.
• Adam Beer, South-West England: An organic farmer who witnessed a 95% loss of his cabbage and cauliflower crop, a significant deviation from an expected 50% loss. This single event is projected to cost 5-10% of the farm’s annual income.
• Svitlana Lytvyn, Ukrainian Agribusiness Club: Noted that disappointing weather could lead to a fall in agricultural exports, a critical component of the nation’s economy, thereby impacting both national and global food supply chains relevant to SDG 2.

Economic Repercussions Across Key Sectors: A Challenge to SDG 8 and SDG 9

The economic impact of drought extends far beyond agriculture, challenging SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure). A recent study calculated that drought has cost Europe an average of €11.2 billion per year.

Impact on Industry, Infrastructure, and Energy

• Inland Shipping: Low water levels on major arteries like the Rhine River are severely restricting the movement of goods, a critical component of European infrastructure (SDG 9). Martin Staats, president of the German inland shipping association, identified drought as the “biggest problem” for the industry, as it forces ships to travel with reduced cargo or cease operations entirely.
• Industrial Production: In 2018, low and hot water on the Rhine cost the German chemical firm BASF €250 million. Other companies, such as Covestro, have been forced to establish dedicated task forces and invest in alternative transport logistics (rail, road) to mitigate disruptions, demonstrating the need for industrial adaptation under SDG 9.
• Energy Sector and SDG 7: The drought has compromised progress on SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy).
  1. Nuclear power plants in France and Switzerland were forced to shut down due to a lack of sufficiently cool water for their systems.
  2. Hydropower generation, a key source of renewable energy, has been significantly reduced. In May 2025, European hydropower output fell to its lowest level since 2017, and British energy company SSE reported a 40% year-on-year drop in springtime hydropower generation.

Climate Change as a Root Cause and the Imperative for SDG 13 (Climate Action)

The increasing frequency and intensity of these droughts are explicitly linked to climate change resulting from fossil fuel pollution. This underscores the centrality of SDG 13 (Climate Action) in preventing further economic and social damage.

Projected Economic Costs of Climate Inaction

Failure to meet climate targets will exacerbate these losses significantly. Projections indicate that annual drought-related losses in Europe will rise substantially with increased global heating:

1. Losses are projected to reach €13 billion annually if global heating reaches 2°C above pre-industrial levels.
2. Losses are projected to reach €17.5 billion annually if global heating reaches a catastrophic 3°C.

Erosion of Climate Resilience

The financial strain caused by drought creates a negative feedback loop that hinders adaptation efforts, a key target of SDG 13. As farmer Adam Beer noted, income losses from crop failure mean “less money for investments,” which prevents farmers from building the resilience needed to cope with future climate shocks. This inability to invest in adaptive measures leaves communities and economies increasingly vulnerable.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger: The article extensively discusses the impact of drought on agriculture, leading to significant crop failures and reduced yields. This directly threatens food security and the livelihoods of farmers, which are central themes of SDG 2.
• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: The core issue is water scarcity caused by drought. The article highlights low water levels in rivers, the inability to cool power plants, and the general lack of water for agriculture, all of which relate to the sustainable management of water resources.
• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy: The drought’s impact on energy production is explicitly mentioned. Hydropower generation has fallen, and nuclear power plants have been shut down due to a lack of cooling water, demonstrating the vulnerability of energy systems to water scarcity and climate change.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The article details the severe economic consequences of the drought, including massive financial losses for the European economy, specific industries like shipping and chemicals, and individual farmers. This undermines economic productivity and stability.
• SDG 13: Climate Action: The article frames the drought as a direct consequence of climate change, linking it to “fossil fuel pollution” and projecting worsening impacts with rising global temperatures. It underscores the urgent need for climate adaptation and resilience.
• SDG 15: Life on Land: The article touches upon land degradation, mentioning “desertification” in Ukraine and describing how drought turns soil into dust. This relates to protecting and restoring terrestrial ecosystems and combating desertification.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 2.4 (under SDG 2): “By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production… that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought…” The article’s descriptions of farmers losing entire crops (rapeseed, cabbages) and suffering massive yield reductions due to drought directly highlight the failure to achieve this target and the urgent need for more resilient agricultural practices. Farmer Adam Beer’s comment that financial losses mean “we can’t build resilience” speaks directly to this challenge.
• Target 6.4 (under SDG 6): “By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity…” The widespread impacts of water scarcity across agriculture, energy (cooling nuclear plants), and transport (low river levels on the Rhine) illustrate the consequences of water stress and the need for better management and efficiency as described in this target.
• Target 7.2 (under SDG 7): “By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.” The article shows how a key renewable source, hydropower, is vulnerable to climate change, with a “year-on-year fall in springtime hydropower generation of 40%.” This demonstrates a significant challenge to reliably increasing the share of certain renewables without addressing climate resilience.
• Target 8.1 (under SDG 8): “Sustain per capita economic growth in accordance with national circumstances…” The article quantifies the economic damage from drought (“€11.2bn a year”), which directly hinders economic growth and productivity in affected regions and sectors, from farming to the chemical industry.
• Target 13.1 (under SDG 13): “Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.” The entire article serves as a case study on the lack of resilience to drought, a climate-related hazard. The stories of farmers’ “devastating” losses and the disruption to major industries show a low adaptive capacity to the worsening impacts of climate change.
• Target 15.3 (under SDG 15): “By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil…” The mention of Ukraine as a “breadbasket facing desertification” and the description of soil that could be “crumbled into dust” directly relate to the threats of land degradation and desertification that this target aims to combat.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Direct economic loss attributed to disasters (Indicator for Targets 13.1 and 8.1): The article explicitly mentions several financial figures that serve as direct indicators of economic loss. These include:
  • “Drought has cost Europe a staggering €11.2bn (£9.8bn) a year over the last few decades.”
  • Projected annual losses of “€13bn (£11.3bn) if global heating reaches 2C” and “€17.5bn (£15.3bn) if it hits a catastrophic 3C.”
  • Company-specific losses, such as BASF’s “€250m (£218m)” loss in 2018.
  • A farmer’s loss of “5-10% of the farm’s yearly income.”
• Change in agricultural yield (Indicator for Target 2.4): The article provides specific data on crop yield reductions, which can be used as an indicator of agricultural productivity and resilience.
  • Thomas Goebel’s yields were “cut by 40-75% of the average.”
  • Lilian Guzmán experienced a “total failure” of her rapeseed crop.
  • Adam Beer found “95% [of his crop] had been wiped out.”
• Change in renewable energy production (Indicator for Target 7.2): The article provides a clear metric for the impact on hydropower.
  • A “year-on-year fall in springtime hydropower generation of 40%.”
• Level of water stress (Implied indicator for Target 6.4): While not providing a numerical value for water stress, the article describes conditions that are direct measures of it.
  • “Low water levels were restricting movement” on the Rhine.
  • Nuclear power plants were shut down due to a “lack of water cold enough for cooling.”
  • Power-generating dams have “reservoirs that are far emptier than last year.”
• Proportion of land that is degraded (Implied indicator for Target 15.3): The article implies land degradation through descriptive accounts.
  • The reference to Ukraine “facing desertification.”
  • Descriptions of “dried-up” fields and soil so dry “you could crumble them into dust.”

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: theguardian.com