Rivers Run Dry as Droughts and Heat Waves Persist in North America, Europe and Asia
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Rivers around the world are seeing record low water levels as droughts and heat waves persist.
Low water levels in the Colorado River led the Interior Department to announce water allocation cuts for several U.S. states and parts of Mexico. Some states, like Arizona, will have to use as much as 21% less water from the river in 2023. Other rivers seeing low water levels include Germany’s Rhine River, France’s Loire River and China’s Yangtze River.
Across the spectrum, outlets big and small covered a steady stream of heat and drought-related stories. Several outlets, including the Washington Examiner (Lean Right bias), covered a fifth set of human remains discovered in historically-low Lake Mead in Nevada. In China, where COVID-19 lockdowns disrupted global supply chains earlier this year, The New York Times (Lean Left bias) reported on rolling blackouts and factory shutdowns due to record heat.
Right-rated outlets were less likely to cover droughts and heat waves in other countries. Coverage from the left was more likely to mention the role of climate change in exacerbating global heat, with several articles also mentioning the recently-passed Inflation Reduction Act’s climate investments.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Right
Severe Drought Conditions Resurface Fifth Set Of Human Remains At Lake MeadMore human remains were found Monday at Lake Mead as water levels continue to recede due to severe drought conditions, marking the latest discovery as the fifth set recovered since May.
National Park Service reported Tuesday that rangers responded to a report of the discovery of human skeletal remains in the Swim Beach area of Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
Authorities set a perimeter to recover the remains with support from Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s dive team and later contacted the Clark County medical examiner.
The investigation is ongoing.
The announcement comes after...
From the Left
Europe’s rivers run dry as scientists warn drought could be worst in 500 yearsIn places, the Loire can now be crossed on foot; France’s longest river has never flowed so slowly. The Rhine is fast becoming impassable to barge traffic. In Italy, the Po is 2 metres lower than normal, crippling crops. Serbia is dredging the Danube.
Across Europe, drought is reducing once-mighty rivers to trickles, with potentially dramatic consequences for industry, freight, energy and food production – just as supply shortages and price rises due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine bite.
Driven by climate breakdown, an unusually dry winter and spring followed by record-breaking summer...
From the Center
DRIED UP: Texas cattle industry faces existential crisis from historic droughtThe megadrought in the Western U.S., the region’s worst in 1,200 years, is threatening America’s cattle heartland: withering pastures, wrecking feed harvests and endangering a quintessential way of life.
The drought is forcing ranchers here in Texas and across the Southern plains to make an agonizing decision: Sell early now for less money than they planned on — or hold on, pray for rain and risk losing everything.
“We’ll keep selling cows till it rains,” Texas High Plains rancher Jim Ferguson told Amarillo station KAMR, which collaborated with The Hill...
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