A study published on Wednesday by the World Weather Attribution group reveals that climate change is making droughts in Sicily and Sardinia 1.5 times more probable. Although hot and dry summers are common in these Italian islands, the past year has been particularly harsh with significantly reduced rainfall and consistently high temperatures, leading to severe drought conditions.
Rivers have run dry, crops have suffered, and water rationing has been implemented in regions where agriculture and tourism are vital. Both Sicily and Sardinia have declared a state of emergency, attracting the attention of the WWA, a consortium of scientists specializing in peer-reviewed methods to evaluate climate change's impact on extreme weather events.
The study indicates that human-induced climate change has heightened the risk of these droughts causing severe water scarcity and agricultural damage by 50%. Sicily experienced an exceptionally dry period in the latter half of 2023, the most arid in over a century. The study highlights that the primary cause of the drought is not just reduced rainfall but also sustained high temperatures, which have been oppressive even during nighttime.
The researchers attribute the escalation in drought severity primarily to the significant rise in extreme temperatures due to human-induced climate change. Mariam Zachariah, a researcher at the Grantham Institute for Climate Change at Imperial College London, explains that the islands are experiencing more frequent and prolonged heatwaves, which are rapidly evaporating water from soils, plants, and reservoirs.
Zachariah emphasizes that Sardinia and Sicily are becoming increasingly arid due to climate change. For farmers and communities enduring water restrictions, this study underscores the intensification of droughts by climate change. The study also points out that outdated infrastructure exacerbates water shortages, advocating for improved water management to mitigate the effects of future droughts.
