The joint research center of the European Commission released a report on the 18th that nearly half of the territories of the European Union and the United Kingdom are at risk of drought. The joint research center of the European Commission pointed out in this report that the analysis of the development and impact of drought in the European Union showed that a total of 44% of the territories of the European Union and the United Kingdom were at risk of drought in July, and 9% of the territories were in a more serious state of alert, and crops had been affected by water shortages. The report said that the rain in many European Union countries and Britain in winter and spring has been insufficient, and the heat wave since this summer has further seriously affected the river flow in many countries, and the water storage capacity has dried up. The lack of precipitation means that the soil water content is significantly reduced, which makes it more difficult for plants to extract water from the soil. The report warns that water shortages and high temperatures will lead to a decline in crop production in France, Romania, Spain, Portugal and Italy. The report suggests that in order to solve the problem of water shortage, the affected countries need to take special water and energy management measures. Equally important is the need to address the root causes of these problems, that is, to cope with climate change and its damage to the earth's water cycle. Most of Europe is currently in a heat wave, which some scientists believe is related to climate change. Temperatures in parts of southern Europe have risen to 40 degrees Celsius, and parts of Portugal, Spain and France have also suffered serious mountain fires. (Xinhua News Agency)