Extreme Heat And Drought Conditions Are Battering The U.S., Europe And China All At Once

A view of bridges that cross over the partially dried-up riverbed of the Jialing river, a tributary of the Yangtze, that is approaching record low water levels in Chongqing, China, August 18, 2022. REUTERS/Thomas Peter  

CNN: Extreme heat is slamming the world's three biggest economies all at once 

London (CNN Business)Estimating just how catastrophic climate change will be for the global economy has historically proven challenging. But this summer, it's increasingly evident how quickly costs can pile up. 

Extreme heat and drought conditions are battering the United States, Europe and China, compounding problems for workers and businesses at a time when economic growth is already slowing sharply and adding to upward pressure on prices. 

In China's Sichuan province, all factories have been ordered shut for six days to conserve power. Ships carrying coal and chemicals are struggling to make their usual trips along Germany's Rhine river. 

And people living on America's West Coast have been asked to use less electricity as temperatures soar.  

Read more ....  

Update: Severe heat and droughts are wreaking havoc across the globe (VOX)  

WNU Editor: The economic costs of this extreme heat and drought have yet to be calculated.

As Europe's Rivers Run Dry Centuries-Old 'Hunger Stones' Reappear

A child stands on one of the "hunger stones" revealed by the low level of water in the Elbe River in 2018. REUTERS  

Buisness Insider: A historic climate-fueled drought in Europe revealed ominous, centuries-old 'hunger stones' warning of hardship 

* Carved boulders used to record historic droughts have emerged in Europe's shrinking rivers. 

* A growing body of research links intensifying droughts in many parts of the world to climate change. 

* Researchers say the current drought that Europe is experiencing could be the worst in 500 years. 

An intense drought is shrinking rivers across Europe, revealing stones carved centuries ago to give future generations a warning of hard times ahead. 

The Miami Herald reported that locals said the centuries-old boulders, known as "hunger stones," reappeared last week as rivers in Europe ran dry due to drought conditions. 

One such stone is on the banks of the Elbe River, which begins in the Czech Republic and flows through Germany. The boulder dates back to 1616 and is etched with a warning in German: "Wenn du mich seehst, dann weine" — "If you see me, then weep," according to a Google translation of the phrase.  

Read more .... 

 Update #1: ‘If you see me, cry’: Drought reveals ‘hunger stones’ in River Elbe historically used to forecast famine (The Independent)  

Update #2: Grim ‘Hunger Stones’ warn of doom as they emerge in ancient waters (NYPost)  

WNU Editor: At least it is not as bad as 1540 .... It’s hot and dry out there, but it ain’t as bad as 1540 (yet) (Politico.eu).

Drought Is Causing Widespread Crop Failures Throughout The US, Europe, And China

 

 Economic Collapse Blog: A Horrifying Drought Is Causing Widespread Crop Failures Throughout The United States And Europe 

We really are reaching a major crisis point. Thanks to soaring fertilizer prices, insane weather patterns and the war in Ukraine, global food supplies have been getting tighter and tighter. So we really needed a banner year for agricultural production in both the United States and Europe in 2022, and that is not going to happen. In fact, unprecedented drought is absolutely devastating crops all over the northern hemisphere. A lot of people are complaining about how high food prices are right now, but just wait. If some sort of a miracle doesn’t happen, agricultural production is going to be way below expectations in both the United States and Europe, and that is going to have very serious implications for 2023.

Let me start by talking about the nightmare that is starting to unfold in Europe.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: If this drought continues, one can only imagine what the price of food will be like in 2023. 

More News On The Current Global Drought Crisis  

More than 60% of land in the European Union and UK is now experiencing drought conditions -- CNN  

Drought threatens 60% of EU and U.K. as Europe faces "critical situation" -- Axios  

More than half of Europe affected by extreme drought -- DW 

Drought isn't just a Western U.S. problem. A severe shortage has hit the Northeast, too -- LA Times  

US issues western water cuts as drought leaves Colorado River near ‘tipping point’ -- The Guardian  

US cuts water allowance for some states, Mexico as drought bites -- AFP  

High temperatures bring drought, power shortages to China's Yangtze River delta -- RFA  

China races to alleviate drought, power cuts amid record heatwave -- Reuters

Is The U.S. Facing A Grasshopper - Locust Invasion?

Zero Hedge: "They're Everywhere" - Megadrought Sparks Grasshopper Plague In Western US 

By now, it's become quite evident that the western half of the U.S. is facing one of the worst megadroughts in decades. We've spoken about fallow land and drying up reservoirs, but the question remains what happens next? 

Well, it's not great, and it's straight out of the playbook from the 1930s Great Depression when the same parts of the U.S. were transformed into a desert, triggering a grasshopper plague. 

A.P. News said federal agriculture officials are set to launch one of the largest grasshopper-killing campaigns in three decades amid an outbreak. The insects belong to the suborder Caelifera family and are probably the most ancient living group of chewing herbivorous insects. These creatures survive and multiply rapidly in drought or very dry conditions and will decimate crops. Read more ....  

Update:Western drought brings another woe: voracious grasshoppers (AP)  

WNU Editor: At the same time we are now hearing the media narrative shifting to make the case that this drought is a national security crisis .... The national security risks of the US drought (Erin Sikorsky, The Hill). More here .... Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks Explains How Climate Change Threatens National Security (Forbes).