Climate crisis costs Italy €284 per capita in ’23

The climate crisis cost Italy €284 per resident in 2023, five times the amount in 2015 and the highest level in the European Union (EU), according to a report by the European House Ambrosetti think tank.

Italy faces significant water stress, with only Belgium, Spain, and Greece worse off in Europe.

Agriculture was the hardest-hit sector, with 12 regions, especially Basilicata, Calabria, Sicily, and Puglia, experiencing severe water stress.

The greatest climate-related economic damage was caused by flooding (44 per cent of the total), storms (34 per cent), and heatwaves (14 per cent).

The report highlighted drastic reductions in agricultural production: honey production is down 70 per cent, pear yields are down 63 per cent, cherry production is down 60 per cent, olive oil output is down 27 per cent, and wine and tomato production is down 12 per cent in 2023.

Attribution: WAM