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In 2024, Sicily, Italy faced its worst drought in almost 20 years, with nearly empty reservoirs and water rationing affecting up to two million people.
In response, authorities declared a state of emergency, with plans to manage the drought through the reintroduction of desalination plants.
Lake Caccamo, located in Sicily, is shown in this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image acquired on 25 July 2024. The lake used to be one of the largest in Sicily, but on 1 August, it reached only 18 million cubic metres in comparison to its capacity of 100 million cubic metres.
Globally, droughts have increased by 29% since 2000 due to climate change and unsustainable land management, with water scarcity affecting 30% of Europeans and 20% of land each year.
The Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification starts on 2 December, and the EU will work to tackle drought, desertification, and land degradation 🇪🇺 🤝 🌎
Open data from the Copernicus Sentinel satellites is essential for monitoring drought and its widespread impacts in affected countries. This information is key to mapping changes in bodies of water and informing management efforts.
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