The climate crisis is already having
a big impact in Italy, the European Commission said in its
spring recommendations on Wednesday, adding that Rome should
revise its subsides on the fossil fuels that are the driving
force behind global hearing.
"Climate change is affecting many sectors in Italy, with
adaptation challenges concerning soil and water management in
particular," the Commission said.
"The problem of water scarcity has expanded to cover northern
Italy, with decreasing moisture and increased sealing and
degradation of soils.
"This affects hydropower generation, water for human
consumption, agriculture, and the flow of water bodies.
"Local communities are exposed to flash floods and extreme heat,
with the risk of heat-related death and morbidity projected to
rise significantly"
The Commission said that Italy's governance of water management
was fragmented with "significant leakages".
It called for investment in flood control, re-naturalising water
bodies, improving land use planning, reducing the sealing of
soils.
"Italy provides fossil fuel and other environmentally harmful
subsidies that could be considered for reform, while ensuring
food and energy security and mitigating social effects," it
said.
"Italy has a catalogue of environmentally harmful subsidies,
estimated at 20.4 billion euros in 2020...
"Italy has the potential to use taxation to tackle resource use
and pollution".
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