A striking comparison released by the Copernicus Emergency Management Service highlights the severity of the ongoing drought in the Eastern Mediterranean, with Cyprus among the worst affected. The Sentinel-2 satellite images—captured on 6 June 2024 and 3 June 2025—show a dramatic reduction in surface water at the Asprokremmos Reservoir, one of the island’s key freshwater sources near Nikokleia, in the Paphos district.

The shrinking reservoir and increasingly arid fields in the surrounding area underscore the escalating threat of water scarcity, driven by prolonged drought conditions and intensifying climate crisis. As Cyprus faces hotter, drier summers and erratic rainfall, water management is becoming one of the most urgent policy challenges, especially for agriculture and rural communities that depend on reliable water access.

The European Drought Observatory, operated under Copernicus, provides critical, near real-time data to support national authorities in responding to environmental pressures. Through advanced satellite monitoring, Copernicus helps inform decisions on water resource planning and climate adaptation, playing a vital role in safeguarding food security in drought-prone regions like Cyprus.