View Online [[link removed]] | Subscribe now [[link removed]]Powered byKnow better. Do better.Climate. Change.News from the ground, in a warming world

By Jack Graham [[link removed]] | Deputy Editor, Funded Projects

The final straw?

Last September, major storms flooded Greece's agricultural heartlands and caused devastating impacts for some 30,000 farmers.

But this year, the Thessaly plain was hit by a severe drought. Consistent summer temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius (104F) stunted crop growth.

Our reporter Beatrice Tridimas headed to the region to see how farmers are coping with these two weather extremes. She found them struggling to see a future. [[link removed]]

The combination of extreme droughts and floods is cutting yields while costs rise and crop prices stagnate.

"Can we survive? I don't know," said Achilleas Gerotolios, a farmer in the village of Sotirio.

He received 6,600 euros from the Greek government in June, helping to repair farm machinery and renovate his home. But Gerotolios said he would quit farming if there were further destruction.

Farmer Achilleas Gerotolios looks out at the flooded Lake Karla near Sotirio, Larissa, Greece. July 29 2024. Thomson Reuters Foundation/Beatrice Tridimas

For many farmers, last year's floods were already the final straw, leading to an exodus from the land. There used to be 100 families in Sotirio. Now, Gerotolios said there are around 15.

Farmers are demanding more defences and support to protect them from future weather events and safeguard their businesses.

But the way farming works is also part of the problem. Agriculture accounts for 86% of water use in Greece, fuelling water shortages that exacerbate the risks of both drought and flood.

The "red line"

So how do you prepare against both floods and droughts?

Despite being opposites, they boil down to one thing: managing water.

As a warming planet leads to more water evaporation, dry spells last longer and the water stored in the atmosphere makes rainfall heavier, a 2021 World Bank report warned.

Building a network of small dams in the mountains, or expanding a lake near Sotirio, could help retain more floodwater and replenish the groundwater supply, said Nikitas Mylopoulos, a water management expert at the University of Thessaly.

Fundamentally, though, he said demand for water was the biggest issue. Irrigation for farming has dried out natural sources and high levels of tourism have put extra strain on the region.

Irrigation pipes that were washed away by flood water have been abandoned at the edge of fields in Sotirio, Larissa, Greece. July 29 2024. Thomson Reuters Foundation/Beatrice Tridimas

If farming has a future in this crucial breadbasket, the World Bank report said more needs to be done to incentivise farmers to switch to more sustainable practices like using organic fertilisers and cover crops.

The government is considering proposals from Dutch agricultural firm HVA. Along with recommendations on flood defences, another suggestion may be harder for farmers to accept: plant fewer water-intensive crops and abandon cotton.

The farmers say banning cotton is a "red line" and would require huge investment. But as the impacts from climate change hit harder and water becomes scarcer, they may soon run out of options.

See you next week,

Jack

This week's top picks What is a forest? Environmentalists question India’s definition [[link removed]]

A tribunal in India is looking at conflicting data over the size of the country’s tree cover in a dispute over what counts as a forest

Trump-Harris debate: Where do they stand on the energy transition? [[link removed]]

As the U.S. presidential candidates face off in Philadelphia, contrasting views on energy will shape future climate change policy

UN's green mineral guide: Africa's untapped potential needs more [[link removed]]

U.N. guidelines on critical minerals for a green transition are significant but more needs to be done to unlock Africa’s potential

Read all of our coverage here [[link removed]] Discover more Nature [[link removed]] Climate Risks [[link removed]] Net Zero [[link removed]] Just Transition [[link removed]] Climate Justice [[link removed]] Green Cities [[link removed]] Thank you for reading!

If you like this newsletter, please forward to a friend or share it on Social Media. [[link removed]]

We value your feedback - let us know what you think [mailto:[email protected]].

[[link removed]]

This email was sent to you by Thomson Reuters Foundation located at 5 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5AQ - a registered charity in the United Kingdom and the United States.

If you are not the intended recipient, be advised that you have received this email in error and that any use, dissemination, forwarding, printing or copying of this email is strictly prohibited. If you do not wish to receive this type of correspondence in the future, contact us at [[email protected]] so that we can remove you from this list.

Thomson Reuters Foundation terms and conditions and privacy statement can be found online at www.trust.org [[link removed]].

Photos courtesy of Reuters or Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Manage your Subscriptions [[link removed]] | Unsubscribe from all TRF communications [link removed]