Drought in Italy: What Does It Have to Do with Floods?

How can there be a drought in Italy when it has rained so much?

Abundant and widespread rainfall can help temporarily reduce the drought emergency in Italy, which affects certain areas like northern Italy and other European regions. For instance, the levels of some rivers may return to values close to the seasonal average.
Problem solved? Not quite.

While rain can help address short- and medium-term water deficits, it does not always restore what can be considered a “normal” situation. Intense rainfall can sometimes lead to floods and inundations, paradoxically causing harm instead of relief.

What Does Drought in Italy Teach Us?

Drought in Italy is a phenomenon that forces us to reflect. It is well known that climate change intensifies the frequency and severity of extreme events like droughts and floods. While it is not always easy to attribute a single event to climate change, numerous studies show that it amplifies their effects.

The Consequences of Climate Change on Water Resources

Climate risk analyses indicate that:

• Average temperatures are rising;
• Annual precipitation is decreasing;
• Drought periods are becoming longer and more frequent;
• Intense rainfalls are occurring more often.

These changes lead to:

• Economic damages: Affecting sectors like agriculture and energy.
• Ecological damages: Drying of wetlands, loss of biodiversity, and increased wildfires.
• Social damages: Impacts on health, increased food costs, and conflicts over water resources among different sectors (agriculture, water services, environmental authorities).

Moreover, water scarcity can escalate conflicts over resource use when various stakeholders—such as agriculture, integrated water services, and environmental authorities—compete for a limited resource.

How Forests and Natural Areas Can Help Reduce Drought in Italy

Drought is a complex problem that requires a multidimensional approach. Beyond reducing water consumption, repairing leaks in water systems, and adopting more efficient irrigation methods, nature-based solutions (NBS) can play a significant role.

NBS leverage sustainable management of nature to address environmental and social challenges. But how can trees, forests, and natural areas help tackle drought?

The Role of Trees and Forests

As seen, Italy is likely to face a climate characterized by more extended and more frequent drought periods, interspersed with much more intense rainfall. This climate extremization, combined with the fact that dry soil is less capable of quickly absorbing water, can lead to flooding and inundations. Thus, droughts and floods can sometimes be two sides of the same coin.

In this context, trees and forests can help by:

• Intercepting rainfall: Tree canopies slow water runoff, giving the soil more time to absorb.
• Improving soil: Roots reduce compaction, making the soil more porous and promoting infiltration.
• Enriching the soil: Improved organic matter enhances the soil’s water retention capacity.

However, incorrectly planted trees can increase water consumption, especially when non-native species are used. Therefore, it is crucial to plan carefully and select species that are suited to the local context.

Wetlands and Sponge Landscapes

Wetlands can mitigate both droughts and floods. By capturing and holding water during periods of abundance, these areas reduce flood risks and increase water availability during scarcity. On a large scale, this approach creates “sponge landscapes” or “sponge cities,” where the territory is designed to better manage water resources.

Forest Infiltration Areas and Bosco Limite

An innovative solution is Forest Infiltration Areas (FIA)—forested areas designed to facilitate water absorption into the ground, replenishing aquifers. During periods of abundance, water is directed into these areas, where it infiltrates slowly into the soil, effectively “banking” it for times of scarcity.

A practical example is Bosco Limite, a project combining forest management and water sustainability.

From Theory to Practice: How to Fund Nature-Based Solutions

Each context requires specific strategies to fund NBS. Etifor supports designing, financing, and implementing these solutions through tools such as:

• European project design: Learn how to access funding.
• Innovative financing: For conserving natural areas.
• WOWnature: Visit wownature.eu to discover how companies can contribute to sustainable forest management.

The Documentary “Senza Acqua. Troppa Acqua” by Will Media

What is the relationship between droughts and floods? What solutions can we adopt to mitigate the impacts of these extreme events? The documentary Senza Acqua. Troppa Acqua, created in collaboration with A2A, explores these questions.

Lucio Brotto, founding partner of Etifor and creator of WOWnature.eu, showcases the case of Bosco Limite, an example of multifunctional and sustainable forest management.