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Sea level rise could engulf farmland in 14 countries and sparks a warning for a food production crisis in Europe and North Africa, researchers say.

Written by Noel Budeguer
Published on 07/05/2026 at 15:17
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2025 Study Reveals Significant Agricultural Land Losses in 14 European and North African Countries Due to Sea Level Rise, Pressing for Urgent Adaptations.

Extreme sea level rise puts coastal agriculture at risk in 14 European and North African countries, according to a study published in 2025 in Nature Research’s Scientific Reports journal. Essential productive areas, from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic, face significant losses of arable land, with impacts that project direct consequences for food security and local economies.

The research led by Federico Martellozzo and team highlighted that scenarios with a sea level rise of up to five meters could permanently flood crucial agricultural regions in Italy, Spain, Morocco, Egypt, and other countries, reinforcing the pressure for adaptation and mitigation policies in coastal agriculture.

Impacts of Sea Level Rise on Key Coastal Agricultural Regions

Sea level rise of up to five meters threatens coastal agricultural areas in 14 European and North African countries, including Italy, Spain, Morocco, and Egypt. Traditional cultivation regions located along the Mediterranean and the Atlantic face permanent loss of arable land due to flooding.

Projections indicate a significant reduction in productive capacity in these zones, compromising local food supply and impacting agriculture-based economies. Saltwater intrusion and agricultural soil saturation pose serious risks to crop sustainability.

Flooded agricultural area illustrates the growing risk of sea level rise for coastal lands, with impacts on soil, food production, and nearby communities.
Flooded agricultural area illustrates the growing risk of sea level rise for coastal lands, with impacts on soil, food production, and nearby communities.

The study’s data reinforce the vulnerability of coastal agriculture in the face of intensifying climate change, especially in Mediterranean and Atlantic regions, where sea encroachment directly compromises agrarian dynamics and the survival of rural communities.

Arable Land Losses in 14 European and North African Countries

Extreme sea level rise, in scenarios that could reach five meters, significantly threatens coastal agriculture in 14 countries located in Europe and North Africa. Among the most vulnerable regions are strategic agricultural areas in Italy, Spain, Morocco, and Egypt.

This sea encroachment would cause permanent flooding, drastically reducing the availability of arable land and compromising local agricultural productivity. The scarcity of cultivable land directly impacts food security and the economy of these regions, which heavily depend on coastal agriculture.

The study also highlights that Mediterranean and Atlantic regions, which concentrate a large part of coastal agricultural production, face this growing threat, requiring greater attention to the risks associated with sea level rise.

Extreme Scenarios and the Vulnerability of Mediterranean and Atlantic Zones

Extreme sea level rise, reaching up to five meters, threatens agriculture in coastal regions of 14 countries in Europe and North Africa, with a focus on Mediterranean and Atlantic areas. In these locations, sea expansion can permanently flood agricultural lands fundamental for local production.

Countries such as Italy, Spain, Morocco, and Egypt face significant risks due to the loss of arable land from seawater intrusion. The research details that these regions are especially vulnerable, considering the concentration of agricultural activities near coastal zones.

The advance of sea level directly impacts food security and the local economy, as essential productive areas suffer coastal erosion and soil salinization, compromising the viability of agriculture in these territories. These projections highlight the critical nature of the vulnerability of Mediterranean and Atlantic zones in the face of extreme climate change.

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Urgent Need for Strategies to Protect Coastal Agriculture

A sea level rise of up to five meters directly threatens agriculture in 14 countries in Europe and North Africa, covering Mediterranean and Atlantic regions. The study published in 2025 reveals that essential agricultural areas in these zones face a risk of permanent flooding, reducing the availability of arable land and impacting local food production.

The most vulnerable countries, including Italy, Spain, Morocco, and Egypt, could suffer significant losses in their coastal agricultural zones, with effects that extend beyond production and impact local economies dependent on the sector. The research shows that, without actions to address these sea advances, food security could be compromised in several regions.

The alarming scenario reinforces the need for planning aimed at adapting coastal agriculture, considering extreme sea level rise as a real and imminent challenge that requires urgent attention from authorities and society to mitigate severe impacts on agriculture in these areas.

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Noel Budeguer

I am an Argentine journalist based in Rio de Janeiro, focusing on energy and geopolitics, as well as technology and military affairs. I produce analyses and reports with accessible language, data, context, and strategic insight into the developments impacting Brazil and the world. 📩 Contact: noelbudeguer@gmail.com

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