Climate Change Warnings As Southern Spain's Deserts Expand Due To Drought

LOS ALCAZARES, SPAIN - JULY 28: The Tajo-Segura interbasin water transfer canal is seen crossing the fields of the agricultural region of El Campo de Cartagena on July 28, 2017 in Los Alcazares, Spain. El Campo de Cartagena is located along the seaside of El Mar Menor, a coastal salty lagoon. In 2016 pollution due to agricultural and sewage system spilleds in addition to a long drought was reportedly so severe as to render the area close to ecological collapse. Farmers from 'El Campo de Cartagena' were forced to shut down their desalination plant and to use only water supplied from the Tajo-Segura Channel which main reservoirs are nowadays to their history lowest capacity. As the severe drought in Spain's Southeastern regions of Albacete, Guadalajara, Murcia and Almeria continues for a second straight year, water levels of the region's main reservoir are worryingly low. Despite of the national water levels are currently near 50% of its total capacity, the main reservoir feeding these regions are below 13% of their capacity. This prolonged drought and how the government is managing the water sharing among these regions are deeply hitting their economy. According to the Spain's environment ministry figures, Southern Spain's deserts are spreading and a third of the country is at risk of suffering a process of desertification as climate change, droughts, tourism add to farming pressure on the southeastern regions of Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)