Heatwaves combined with a lack of rain in recent months have weakened vegetation including trees, according to the nature and forest administration and the environment ministry. In places where forests are less dense, the typical cooling effect is no longer present, and trees and plants lack water.

“We need to make our forests more resilient to climate change induced droughts as such droughts are likely to occur more often in the future. The main challenge will be to find the right balance between protection measures to improve the disturbance resistance of current trees and measures to diversify the structure, species and provenance of future trees,” states the environment ministry in a press release.

The ministry has called for increased tree diversity and complementarity, improving the resilience of forest trees and adapting forest infrastructure to future climate conditions.

Rivers in Luxembourg have also been affected by the drought. All surface water abstraction--the process of extracting water from natural or artificial waterways—is currently banned. A decrease in river flows risks leading to critical minimum levels for the survival of fauna and flora around the bodies of water. Some small rivers have already run dry in August, which the environment ministry says is a rare and worrying development.

The rainfall over the first few weeks of August has not had any influence on groundwater or river levels. At least two weeks of consistent moderate rainfall would be needed to allow precipitation to fill the groundwater reserves. Similarly the floods in July 2021 had an insignificant effect on groundwater levels as the soil is unable to absorb such heavy rainfall, especially when it is dry.

and reserves remain sufficient but the authorities advise residents to not use more than they need.