Italy faced significant financial burdens with climate crisis cost reaching €284 per resident, the highest in Europe. This according to a report presented at a conference hosted by The European House Ambrosetti think tank on Saturday.
The study highlighted Italy’s severe water stress, ranking just behind Belgium, Spain, and Greece in Europe. Agriculture suffered the most, with 12 regions, particularly Basilicata, Calabria, Sicily, and Puglia, experiencing extreme water shortages.
Flooding, storms, and heatwaves caused the most economic damage, accounting for 44%, 34%, and 14% of the total, respectively. The report noted a drastic reduction in honey production, which fell by 70% in 2023. Other agricultural impacts included a 63% decline in pear yields, a 60% drop in cherry production, a 27% decrease in olive oil output, and a 12% reduction in wine and tomato production.
The calculated cost of €284 per resident is five times higher than in 2015 and the highest in the European Union.
The conference, titled “Water Community Value for Italy” (Community Valore Acqua Per l’Italia), also addressed the risk to Italian hydroelectric energy production. The report warned that hydroelectric output could halve if global warming reaches 2°C above pre-industrial levels.
Valerio De Molli, CEO of The European House Ambrosetti, stressed the urgency of the situation, stating Italy is at risk of experiencing “the highest thermal anomaly in history” this year, with temperatures 1.75°C above average.
The report also compared the climate crisis costs in other EU countries, noting that Spain incurred €221 per resident, Hungary €21, while the EU average was €116.
Sicily’s only natural lake drying up
The severe drought in Sicily has nearly dried up the Mediterranean island’s only natural lake which has long served as a vital resting station for birds migrating between Africa and Europe.
Sicily has suffered months of below-average rainfall, with the Italian government declaring a state of emergency over the crisis, which has devastated crops and desiccated pastures.+
Lake Pergusa, part of a natural reserve close to the central Sicilian town of Enna, has shrunk dramatically because of a lethal mix of hot weather and low rains, scientists said.
