2024 WAS THE WARMEST YEAR EVER DOCUMENTED. 351 EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS HAVE AFFECTED THE PENINSULA. FROM NORTH TO SOUTH FLOODING AND DRYING. THE MELONI GOVERNMENT IS BAD. THE REPORT OF THE LEGAMBIENT CITY CLIMATE OBSERVATORATORY
Italy seems increasingly vulnerable to it climate crisiswith 2024 standing out as the year of record lows. The European programme Copernicus recorded another global temperature record, marking last year as the warmest ever documented. For the first time, the critical threshold of 1.5°C compared to pre-industrial levels has been exceeded.
November 2024 was the second warmest November globally, with an average surface temperature of 14.1°C, which was 0.7°C above the 1991-2020 average. November marked an increase of 1.6°C compared to pre-industrial times, representing the sixteenth of seventeen consecutive months with temperatures above the 1.5°C threshold.
In the month in question, sea surface temperatures also reached record levels, averaging 20.6°C, just 0.13°C below the November 2023 peak.
2024 record year of extreme weather events
2024 was marked by 351 extreme weather events that affected the peninsula; for the third consecutive year it exceeded three hundred. This represents an increase of 485% compared to 2015, when only sixty were registered.
Among the most devastating phenomena are damage from prolonged drought (+54.5% compared to 2023), river floods (+24%) and floods caused by heavy rain (+12%). Italy finds itself in a divide between water scarcity and water abundance, highlighting its structural vulnerability in tackling the consequences of the climate crisis, underlines theLegambiente urban climate observatory.
Emilia-Romagna is confirmed as the most affected region, followed by Lombardy, Sicily, Veneto and Piedmont. Among the provinces, Bologna tops the rankings with 17 extreme events, followed by Ravenna and Rome with 13 events each. Of the major cities, Rome is hit hardest, followed by Genoa and Milan.
The environmental organization’s report paints an alarming picture of the climate crisis in Italy by 2024. The dossier highlights how the country continues to feel unprepared even in the last days of the year, marked by torrential rains, storm surges and strong winds.
In detail, 2024 saw:
- 134 cases of flooding due to heavy rain;
- 62 wind damage;
- 46 river floods;
- 34 prolonged drought events;
- 30 hail damage;
- 19 landslides caused by heavy rain;
- 9 damage to infrastructure;
- 8 storm surges;
- 2 damage to historical heritage;
- 1 case of record temperatures.
Northern Italy was hardest hit with 198 extreme events, followed by the south with 92 and the center with 61. Emilia-Romagna recorded 52 events, Lombardy 49, Sicily 43, Veneto 41 and Piedmont 22. On the flood front, Lombardy recorded 25. events, followed by Emilia-Romagna with 22 and Sicily with 15. For the river flooding leads Emilia-Romagna with 14 events, followed by Lombardy with 8 and Veneto with 5.
The impact of global warming is also being felt at high altitudes, with the freezing point in Piedmont set to reach 5,206 meters in 2024, approaching the record of 5,296 meters set in 2015. Glaciers continue to retreat, with serious consequences for ecosystems and biodiversity.
Sardinia: drought, rationing and poor management of water resources
Sardinia, which is particularly affected by drought, has suffered significant damage to its ecosystems. The island has been forced to rationalize water use to minimize the impact on local economies. Legambiente emphasizes the need to drastically reduce water losses, improve network management and reuse wastewater for irrigation purposes.
The Meloni government is evil
Legambiente has heavily criticized Meloni’s government for the slowness shown in tackling the climate crisis. There is a lack of prevention strategies and economic resources to implement the prevention strategies National Climate Change Adaptation Plan (PNACC)which remains an ineffective measure. Moreover, the decree establishing the National Observatory for Adaptation to Climate Change has not yet been issued.