A recent study by the World Weather Attribution (WWA) group has revealed that climate change is significantly intensifying droughts in Sicily and Sardinia, making them 1.5 times more likely to occur. Over the past 12 months, both Italian islands have experienced exceptionally low rainfall and persistently high temperatures, leading to devastating droughts.
The prolonged dry conditions have had severe consequences, with rivers drying up, crops withering, and drinking water being rationed. Given the critical importance of agriculture and tourism in the region, the governments of Sicily and Sardinia have declared a state of emergency.
The WWA, a network of scientists specializing in assessing the impact of climate change on extreme weather events, found that human-caused climate change has increased the likelihood of these droughts by 50 percent. The study highlighted that the second half of 2023 in Sicily was marked by an “unprecedented dry spell,” making it the most arid period in over a century.
A key factor driving the drought, according to the study, is not just the lack of rainfall but also the continued high temperatures, which have remained stifling even at night. The increase in drought severity is primarily attributed to the very strong rise in extreme temperatures due to human-induced climate change.
“Searing, long-lasting heat is hitting the islands more frequently, evaporating water from soils, plants, and reservoirs,” said Mariam Zachariah, a researcher at the Grantham Institute for Climate Change at Imperial College London. “Sardinia and Sicily are becoming increasingly arid with climate change.”
The study also pointed out that aging infrastructure is exacerbating water shortages, underscoring the need for better water management to mitigate the impact of future droughts. For the farmers and towns enduring months of water restrictions, the findings confirm that climate change is intensifying the droughts in these regions.
