According to satellite observations released by the GFZ Helmholtz Center for Geosciences in Potsdam, the global amount of stored water has changed markedly, with Europe showing a pronounced trend. A sharp rise in areas affected by drought was identified.
By the end of 2025, Germany alone had accumulated a water deficit of roughly 25 billion tonnes compared with the long‑term average since 2002. On the world stage, the proportion of land exhibiting normal water storage has fallen from about 75 % in 2009 to just under one‑third in 2025-a decline primarily driven by the tripling of dry regions.
While Africa benefited from increased water storage, Europe and the Middle East experienced the opposite, and the Arctic was hit hard by accelerated glacier melt.
In Germany, a persistent drought has been in effect since 2018. The brief respite of above‑average rainfall in 2024 did not reverse the trend, as precipitation levels again fell below average in 2025, and higher evaporation rates further reduced water storage.
