According to a report by Italy’s leading environmental association, there was nearly one extreme weather event per day in the peninsula in 2024.
Italy is well-positioned to assess the effects of climate change: 351 extreme events (floods, heavy rainfall, hailstorms, and prolonged droughts) were recorded in 2024, according to the environmental association Legambiente. Beyond the numbers, what truly matters is the long-term trend. While there has been a slight decrease compared to 2023, which was marked by massive flooding in Emilia-Romagna, the number of such events has nearly sextupled over the past decade, according to the association.
What is increasing the most are episodes of drought and flooding. The report paints the picture of a country divided in two: in the north, there are periods of excessive rainfall, while the south, particularly Sicily, suffers from a severe water shortage, having experienced a devastating year of drought. Central Italy sees slightly fewer extreme weather events, with the exception of Rome.
The summer of 2024 was the third hottest ever recorded in Italy, following 2023 and 2022, with temperatures nearly two degrees higher than the average since the early 1990s. Even mountain regions felt the heat: to reach the « zero-degree line » (the altitude where temperatures drop to zero), one had to climb above 5,200 meters in Piedmont during the hottest day of the year.
A « climate extremization » in Italy
The country is falling victim to a « punching ball effect, » explains a climatologist. Previously, air used to circulate from west to east; now, the axis runs south to north. Hot African anticyclones from the south bring drought, and as they descend, they collide with cold air currents. This contrast triggers torrential rainfall.
Among the adaptation measures implemented is a new insurance law, as the financial toll is significant. The cost of the Emilia-Romagna floods in 2023 is estimated at 8 to 10 billion euros. It is believed that only 5% of businesses are insured against such risks. Starting in 2025, this type of insurance will become mandatory.
Source: francetvinfo
