The effects of the climate crisis
cost Italy 284 euro per resident in 2023, five times that of
2015 and the highest level in the EU, according to a report
presented at a conference hosted by The European House
Ambrosetti think tank on Saturday.
The study said that the level of water stress was so high in
Italy that only Belgium, Spain and Greece were worst off in
Europe.
It said agriculture was the sector hit hardest, with 12 regions
suffering high levels of water stress, especially Basilicata,
Calabria, Sicily and Puglia.
It said the greatest climate-related economic damage was caused
by flooding (44% of the total), storms (34%) and heatwaves
(14%).
The report said, among other things, this had led to a "drastic
reduction in honey production", which was down 70% nel 2023.
Pear yields were down 63%, cheery production fell 60%, olive oil
output dropped 27% and wine and tomato production fell 12%.
The report, presented at a conference entitled Water Community
Value for Italy ('Community Valore Acqua Per l'Italia), said
Italian hydroelectric energy production was at risk too.
It said the drop in hydroelectric output would double if global
warming reaches 2°C more than pre-industrial levels.
"We are experiencing a particularly delicate situation,
especially in our country," said The European House Ambrosetti
CEO Valerio De Molli.
He added that Italy was in danger of having "the highest thermal
anomaly in history" this year with temperatures 1.75° above
average.
The report said the climate crisis cost Spain 221 euro per
inhabitant, Hungary 214 euro, while the EU average was 116
euros.
Scientists say the climate crisis caused by human greenhouse gas
emissions is making extreme weather events such as heatwaves,
droughts, supercharged storms and flooding more frequent and
more intense.
Although there are many sources of the greenhouse gases that are
causing global heating, the main driver is the burning of fossil
fuels such as oil, gas and coal, sales of which generate huge
profits for the world's energy giants.
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