Europe's Shrinking Rivers Curb Power Output, Transport and Company Earnings

By Forrest Crellin, Aleksandar Vasovic and Luiza Ilie

PARIS/BELGRADE/BUCHAREST, July 31 (Reuters) – Record low water levels in Europe’s major rivers have curtailed the transport of goods, reduced electricity output and shrunk company earnings, stoking fears about the economic impact of searing heat and erratic rainfall.

As Europe experiences the fastest warming of any continent and record-breaking heatwaves, drought has exposed the need to reconsider business practices.

From the bustling port of Rotterdam to hydropower plants in Serbia, waterways have become a less reliable way to transport goods such as grains and oil,