Spain faces a dry summer as heat waves and historic droughts press rivers, lakes, and reservoirs down to their lowest levels. Experts warn that the situation is likely to worsen in the coming years unless urgent action is taken, since climate change tends to extend dry spells and intensify their impact.
By 2050, about 17 percent of Europe’s population is at high risk of water scarcity. Spain and Greece top the list of countries most exposed to shortages, with cities such as Seville, Granada, Córdoba, and Murcia anticipated to experience the greatest water stress in Europe.
These findings come from a World Wildlife Fund study that calls for a fundamental shift toward a new water management model. The goal is to align demand with available resources, ensuring water for nature and people alike.
Across Europe, drought and water scarcity are projected to intensify. By 2050, Greece could see 82 percent of its population and GDP affected by high or extreme water risk, while in Spain a large portion of the population and a significant share of GDP may face water stress.
Moreover, drought is not driven by rainfall alone. WWF emphasizes that governments and businesses should no longer ignore recurring risks. Planning and the economy should shift away from assuming increasing water use will solve the problem without strong action.
Serious risk of desertification
If water policies do not change today, tomorrow’s droughts are likely to be unavoidable. Despite a real danger of desertification, Spain maintains a hydrological plan that still prioritizes heavy irrigation and industrial crops, which consume roughly 80 percent of the country’s water supply.
The current pattern has been described as a self-destructive cycle of water management, where national reservoirs sit at historically low levels. WWF points to failures in irrigation modernization since 2005, including water-saving efforts that have not reduced total irrigation and, in some cases, coincided with a net increase in irrigated areas.
Groundwater use in water-scarce areas is also a concern, with conservationists noting that some aquifers are overexploited, threatening future reserves.
Additionally, concerns about water theft in Spain have been raised. Illicitly extracted water covers a vast area and affects critical aquifers and natural areas along the peninsula.
There are almost a million illegal wells identified, which places Spain among the countries with the highest water use in Europe according to NGO research. WWF advocates a radical shift in water management to reduce irrigation demand and align it with real resource availability.
“Transfers and reservoirs are not the solution”
The emphasis should be on saving water through new technologies to secure supplies for people while preserving water for ecosystems. WWF argues that transfers and reservoirs do not offer a lasting fix to scarcity. A new production model is needed—one that reduces irrigation intensity, supports rain-fed crops, and curtails water theft.
There is also a call to invest in nature-based solutions to restore the health of rivers, wetlands, and aquifers, making them more resilient to climate change.
Risk maps for Europe by 2050 illustrate growing stress and underscore the need for action that protects both people and nature.
WWF recommends several strategies to prevent water stress:
– Advancing the recovery of water service costs under the Water Framework Directive to encourage efficient use through the polluter-pays principle.
– Reviewing drought indicators to improve prevention, anticipate extreme events, and monitor consequences effectively.
– Adapting demand to the actual availability of water, managing droughts before they occur by aligning needs with resources.
– Utilizing alternative water sources during critical droughts, including desalination of seawater or reuse of treated water to ease pressures on basins.
– Promoting a culture of water conservation in Spain, especially among the most water-intensive productive sectors like agriculture.
– Providing a defined budget and clear measures within the National Strategy to Combat Desertification for the next eight years.
– Integrating these objectives into other key plans, including those linked to the Common Agricultural Policy, to ensure cohesive action.
– Proposing a Land Conservation Law to prevent ongoing erosion and degradation of land and water resources.
The report The effects of climate change on the Iberian Peninsula offers a deeper view of these challenges and potential paths forward.
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Note: this overview reflects concerns raised by the environment sector and highlights the need for coordinated policy shifts and responsible resource management to safeguard water for both people and nature.