Italy faces up to climate challenge

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Italy faces up to climate challenge

Postby westsiderny on Mon 19 Mar, 2007 2:23 pm

A new United Nations report claims that Italy and southern Europe face health risks and an increasing struggle to grow food because of climate change in the 21st century.
According to the study by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), temperatures could rise by as much as five degrees Celsius in Europe by the end of the century, giving northern countries milder winters and making summers in the south increasingly hot and parched.


The report predicts 30-40% less rain in the south by 2100, noting that this would have a serious impact on farming and also on tourism, because hotels and holiday villages would face water shortages. With rivers losing 80% of their water in the summer, hydro-electric power generation would also suffer, the IPCC said.
Meanwhile, the rising level of the sea due to melting glaciers and ice caps would mean many areas of the coastline would be eroded, producing more problems for tourist businesses.


Italy has just had one of its mildest winters on record and the country is bracing itself for a blazing summer.
Preparations are being made for a potential summer power crunch caused by high temperatures and a low level of water in rivers which run generators.


Full article...
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Postby Yakima on Mon 19 Mar, 2007 7:49 pm

westsiderny, very good article on climate in Italy.
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Postby Michelle on Tue 20 Mar, 2007 10:18 am

The same study covered other countries. I know where Italy's water is going - Ireland! They've told us that our winters will be wetter (dear God...) and our coastal cities may be flooded beyond use!
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Postby Boots on Tue 20 Mar, 2007 12:40 pm

We get a great deal of rain, too. Yet every summer we hear warnings that conservation is needed because of the dwindling water supply. This coupled with increased demand makes for a dim future indeed.
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Postby westsiderny on Tue 20 Mar, 2007 1:34 pm

Bad weather has returned to Italy. Snow, rain and wind all over and acqua alta in Venice. Hope it won't last too long. :cry:

http://www.ilgiornale.it/a.pic1?ID=165279

http://www.padovanews.it/content/view/8 ... ang,it_IT/
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Postby Tesora on Tue 20 Mar, 2007 1:57 pm

Michelle wrote:The same study covered other countries. I know where Italy's water is going - Ireland! They've told us that our winters will be wetter (dear God...) and our coastal cities may be flooded beyond use!


Yes, Michelle, I'm not sure I would want to be living in a coastal town, like Galway or NYC! Hopefully, it won't happen for a long time, if at all. But, think of all the fun that future archaeologists will have when the water again recedes! (Am I bad, or what! :roll: :oops: )
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