A winter of blackouts and shortages is what Europeans are bracing themselves for.
War in Ukraine grinds on, energy markets are in turmoil, inflation is rising and gas prices are hitting record highs.
The picture is bleak for Europe, where governments may become unable to keep the people warm as of November.
Not even the most pessimistic among us could have imagined seeing media footage of long queues at filling stations in France. As winter nears, Europeans are now worried about how they can beat the cold. It seems that Europe will have no choice but to bid farewell to the lifestyle they have enjoyed for the last 50 years.
Memories of the early post-war years come flooding back. Soon after WW2, the people of Berlin had to feel trees in their parks and use animal dung for fuel.
Now in Britain, firewood is a growth industry and school children are advised to wear the heaviest clothes because classrooms were unheated.
In Hungary, the authorities have suspended timber exports, while in France, the price of chipboard doubled, reaching €600 per ton. People in many European countries are learning how to cook without electricity and store water.
World Food Day on 16 October should have been an occasion to showcase the achievements to guarantee food security amid current global challenges. However, it was a day to warn of food shortages in the aftermath of the Russian-Ukrainian war which led to a disruption in food supply chains.
Statistics from the UN World Food Programme suggest that unprecedented numbers of people are malnourished. This requires urgent action by the international community to resolve the ongoing global crises, end conflicts and bring about world peace.
However, the picture is still gloomy since the Russian-Ukrainian war has escalated. Russia is continuing its air strikes on Ukrainian cities and targeting infrastructure. The US is mobilising NATO and the EU to scale up the military, political and economic support for Ukraine. The war has had repercussions on the whole world, but Europe is most affected. Maybe this winter will be a season of food and energy shortages, but key players in the Russian-Ukrainian crisis should not stay silent. Rather, they should do all they can to settle disputes or the whole world will be pushed to the brink.
Mohamed Fahmy is the editor-in-chief of The Egyptian Gazette and the Egyptian Mail newspapers.
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