Satellite observations reveal a marked shift in global water storage, with Europe experiencing a pronounced impact. The GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam reports a sharp rise in areas suffering from drought, based on remote‑sensing data.
At the end of 2025, Germany alone has accumulated a water deficit of roughly 25 billion tonnes, measured against the average of the pre‑2002 period. Globally, the land area that normally stores water has dropped from 75 percent in 2009 to just under one‑third in 2025-mainly because dry zones have more than tripled in extent.
While Africa shows an increase in water storage, both Europe and the Middle East have seen declines, and the Arctic is being hit hard by glacier melt.
In Germany, drought has persisted since 2018 and only briefly eased in 2024 thanks to above‑average rainfall. By 2025, precipitation fell again below the long‑term mean, and higher evaporation rates further reduced the nation’s water reserves.