Droughts, “mega-basins”: has the water war been declared? The Franceinfo Talk debate

While spring 2023 is well underway, the rainfall deficit is 10% on average in France. The northern half of the country has recently experienced heavy rain but the PACA region or the Pyrénées-Orientales have not allowed groundwater to be recharged. In addition, the summer of 2023 promises to be abnormally hot with possibly several heat waves. As a consequence of climate change, water scarcity is causing environmental and political conflicts.

Manon Mella receives Agnes Ducharnehydrologist, climatologist and director of research at the CNRS as well as Etienne Moninjournalist in the “Sciences, Health, Environment” department of franceinfo.

“A looming global crisis”

In a report published on March 22, 2023, the UN warns of an “imminent” global crisis as water shortages tend to become widespread. “Humanity is draining drop by drop of this source of life,” said UN Secretary-General AntwhereNio Guterres.

Indeed, in France, 2,000 municipalities experienced supply problems last summer. An interministerial inspection report made public reports on the management of the drought in the summer of 2022. This denounces in particular the lack of anticipation of the department prefects.

Join us from 6 p.m. Monday to Friday on the franceinfo Twitch channel to participate in Manon Mella’s Talk. An hour of exchange, clarification, and debate around topical and social issues.