https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Germany in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Water levels in Germany's lakes and rivers are low following dry winter and spring seasons. How severe is the drought and what can you do to help conserve resources? https://www.thelocal.de/20250520/do-i-need-to-prepare-for-water-shortages-in-germany-this-summer Tue, 20 May 2025 15:34:09 +0200 do-i-need-to-prepare-for-water-shortages-in-germany-this-summer Spring has been far too dry so far, sparking the first round of forest fires and wildfires in Germany. If the trend continues, some regions look set to cancel their traditional Easter bonfires this year. https://www.thelocal.de/20250414/will-germanys-easter-bonfires-be-cancelled-this-year-due-to-drought Mon, 14 Apr 2025 13:36:58 +0200 will-germanys-easter-bonfires-be-cancelled-this-year-due-to-drought In two years' time, a massive hole in the heart of Berlin will become the German capital's biggest reservoir, capturing an increasingly precious resource -- water. https://www.thelocal.de/20240612/from-swamp-to-sponge-berlin-harnesses-rain-to-adapt-to-climate-shift Wed, 12 Jun 2024 11:10:20 +0200 from-swamp-to-sponge-berlin-harnesses-rain-to-adapt-to-climate-shift Summers of heat and drought have brought climate change to the top of Germany's agenda. Now an international report shows how the damage compares to other countries. https://www.thelocal.de/20191204/germany-is-country-third-most-affected-by-climate-change Wed, 04 Dec 2019 16:03:16 +0100 germany-is-country-third-most-affected-by-climate-change After historic heatwaves in June and July, there will be no cooling of temperatures at the end of August. https://www.thelocal.de/20190823/weekend-weather-of-up-to-33c-expected-in-germany Fri, 23 Aug 2019 18:20:31 +0200 weekend-weather-of-up-to-33c-expected-in-germany Two summers in a row of drought are causing Germany’s potato supply to dwindle - and prices to rise. https://www.thelocal.de/20190802/german-potato-prices-set-to-spike-due-to-drought Fri, 02 Aug 2019 13:34:14 +0200 german-potato-prices-set-to-spike-due-to-drought After massive crop losses due to the drought that plagued Germany this year, potato prices for consumers have risen by more than half – and they have more blemishes. https://www.thelocal.de/20181119/drought-causes-potato-prices-to-rise-by-more-than-half-and-they-have-more-flaws Mon, 19 Nov 2018 09:42:49 +0100 drought-causes-potato-prices-to-rise-by-more-than-half-and-they-have-more-flaws The German government on Friday said it had authorised the release of strategic fuel reserves after record-low water levels in the drought-hit Rhine river badly disrupted oil shipments in recent weeks. https://www.thelocal.de/20181026/drought-hit-rhine-forces-germany-to-tap-oil-reserves Fri, 26 Oct 2018 16:48:01 +0200 drought-hit-rhine-forces-germany-to-tap-oil-reserves The docks are eerily quiet at Cologne's main port on the mighty River Rhine, with hundreds of containers piled up and awaiting their journey north on one of Europe's busiest commercial arteries. https://www.thelocal.de/20181023/how-drought-has-crippled-crucial-german-waterways Tue, 23 Oct 2018 16:00:40 +0200 how-drought-has-crippled-crucial-german-waterways Around 600 people had to be evacuated from their homes due to a forest fire near Berlin on Thursday, police said. https://www.thelocal.de/20180824/hundreds-evacuated-near-berlin-as-forest-fire-threatens-villages Fri, 24 Aug 2018 11:17:41 +0200 hundreds-evacuated-near-berlin-as-forest-fire-threatens-villages The Agriculture Ministry has agreed to compensate farmers whose businesses have been threatened by one of the worst droughts in years. https://www.thelocal.de/20180822/farmers-to-get-170-million-in-state-aid-after-drought-ruins-harvest Wed, 22 Aug 2018 16:28:30 +0200 farmers-to-get-170-million-in-state-aid-after-drought-ruins-harvest Satellite photographs of Berlin released by the European Space Agency show how the hot weather is ravaging the German countryside. https://www.thelocal.de/20180801/incredible-satellite-images-show-devastating-effects-of-heatwave Wed, 01 Aug 2018 17:36:08 +0200 incredible-satellite-images-show-devastating-effects-of-heatwave Withered sunflowers, scorched wheat fields, stunted cornstalks -- the farmlands of northern Germany have borne the brunt of this year's extreme heat and record-low rainfall, triggering an epochal drought. https://www.thelocal.de/20180729/record-drought-grips-germanys-breadbasket Sun, 29 Jul 2018 11:37:48 +0200 record-drought-grips-germanys-breadbasket Help from Germany has arrived in Sweden in order to fight an outbreak of forest fires described as the most serious in modern times. https://www.thelocal.de/20180723/german-firefighters-arrive-in-sweden-to-fight-scathing-fires Mon, 23 Jul 2018 14:49:00 +0200 german-firefighters-arrive-in-sweden-to-fight-scathing-fires Forest and field fires have broke out in several parts of North-Rhine Westphalia (NRW) over the past few days, threatening vegetation and wildlife. https://www.thelocal.de/20180718/north-rhine-westphalia-continues-to-grapple-with-fires-drought Wed, 18 Jul 2018 13:11:59 +0200 north-rhine-westphalia-continues-to-grapple-with-fires-drought