This interactive map, developed in cooperation with the European Environment Agency (EEA) and derived from data provided by the Joint Research Centre, shows the land areas currently exposed to drought across the EEA's 38 member and cooperating countries. To assess the exposure to droughts across Europe, the product uses the EEA Corine Land Cover dataset together with the EUNIS Habitat Classification and the Combined Drought Indicator (CDI), developed by the European Drought Observatory (EDO), which assesses drought exposure through data on precipitation, soil moisture, and vegetation conditions. The data are presented in near real-time and updated monthly.
Our task was a thorough technical implementation — from harvesting CDI datasets to combining them with land cover and habitat classification data — resulting in high-quality statistical and spatial insights into the latest drought conditions. These insights are now accessible through a dynamic, interactive map on the WISE Freshwater portal: Exposure of European ecosystems to drought.
Cover photo: Mediamodifier, Pixabay, 2017