The drought emergency is increasing in Italy. According to data published byLegambiente City Climate Observatory, from 2020 to mid-May 2024, 81 damages due to prolonged drought were recorded. Lombardy (15), Piedmont (14) and Sicily (9) are the most affected regions in recent years followed by Sardinia (6), Emilia-Romagna (6) and Trentino-Alto-Adige (6).
According to Legambiente, rapid, concrete and integrated interventions are needed that can no longer be postponed. There are three actions indicated by the association to the Government to tackle the problem of drought: a redefinition of a single direction by the district basin authorities is needed; an integrated national river basin strategy; and encourage good practices that allow water to be retained as much as possible in the area and promote systems for the recovery of rainwater and the reuse of waste water. Legambiente instead asks Europe and the next European legislature to approve a framework law on climate resilience to coordinate stringent rules on adaptation, with effective national plans and adequate economic resources, in all member countries.
According to conservative estimates by the European Commission, without effective preventive action on climate risks, damage from floods, heat waves, droughts, forest fires, crop losses or diseases could reduce European GDP by around 7% by the end of the century.
