Direct and indirect drivers of biodiversity loss Fonte: IPBES, 2019

Crediti: tawatchai07, Freepik

How can there be drought if it has rained so much?

The widespread and intense rainfalls of the last few months have surely helped reduce, at least partially, the drought emergency that has affected northern Italy and other European countries for more than one year. The Po river, for example, has recovered its typical mid-summer levels. Problem solved, then? Actually, it’s not that easy. As much as the rain (which, in some cases, have caused floods and inundations, paradoxically resulting in damage) has been beneficial in filling the short and medium-term deficits, we have not yet reached a situation that can be considered “normal”.

Whether resolved or not, this emergency should make us reflect. In fact, it is now well-known that one of the consequences of climate change is the increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme phenomena, such as drought, among others. And, although it is not so straightforward to establish a cause-effect relationship between an extreme event and climate change, in this specific case, this connection seems to be present. In particular, according to a study, this drought has been exacerbated by climate change.

This should not come as a surprise. Risk analyses related to climate change in Italy predict the following regarding water resources:

  • Increasing average temperatures
  • Decreasing annual precipitation
  • More frequent and prolonged drought periods
  • More frequent and intense rainfall events.

As we have observed in the years 2022-2023, all of this can lead to:

  • Economic damages (for example, in the agricultural or energy sector)
  • Ecological damages (e.g., drying up of wetlands, increased frequency and intensity of wildfires, loss of biodiversity)
  • Social damages (e.g., impacts on health, increased costs of certain food items), and, more generally, water scarcity can lead to an escalation of conflicts over its use (situations in which different actors or sectors – such as agriculture, integrated water services, and environmental authorities – find themselves competing for a specific resource, not necessarily resorting to violent means).

The future, therefore, is far from rosy, and we should already begin to adapt. But what can we do in this regard?

Direct and indirect drivers of biodiversity loss Fonte: IPBES, 2019

Nature-based solutions: how can forests and natural areas help us cope with drought?

Drought is a complex problem, and like all complex problems, there is no single, simple solution. Rather, it is necessary to act on multiple fronts simultaneously. Some measures (in addition to addressing climate change, thus tackling the problem at its root) that can be adopted include:

  • Reducing water consumption,
  • Repairing leaks in the distribution system,
  • Harvesting rainwater,
  • Adopting efficient irrigation methods.

Besides these measures, nature itself – forests and other natural areas – can also be an effective solution. That’s precisely why we talk about “Nature-based solutions” (NBS), a term used to refer to the management and sustainable use of nature to address socio-environmental challenges.

But how can trees, forests, and natural areas help us cope with drought? Let’s try to explain it with three examples.

As we have seen, Italy will experience a climate characterized by longer and more frequent drought periods alternating with much more intense rainfall events. This extreme climate, combined with the fact that dry soil is less capable of rapidly absorbing water, can lead to problems of flooding and inundations. Therefore, droughts and floods can be seen, in some cases, as two sides of the same coin. In this context, trees and forests can help because:

  • By intercepting rain with their canopy, they slow down the rate at which it reaches the ground, allowing more time for the soil to absorb it.
  • With their roots, trees reduce soil compaction and make it more porous, thus facilitating water movement and infiltration.
  • They improve soil structure by enriching it with organic matter. A richer soil is generally more capable of retaining water and has a greater capacity for infiltration.

However, the relationship between trees, forests, and water resources is complex. Trees, especially when planted “outside” their natural environment, can have a significant impact on water availability during drought periods, increasing water demand. Therefore, it becomes essential to conduct all the necessary assessments, planting the right trees (which generally means native species, i.e., those species that originated and evolved in that territory, and not non-native species introduced by humans) in the right places.

Another type of natural area that can help cope with drought and its consequences (ecological and beyond), as well as the other extreme events, namely floods and inundations, is the wetland. A wetland is an environment characterized by the coexistence of land and water. These natural areas can collect water during periods of abundance and retain it, limiting and slowing down its runoff, and increasing its availability during periods of scarcity. When this concept is applied at the scale of a city or landscape, it gives rise to a proper planning approach referred to as “sponge city” or “sponge landscape.”

Finally, there are also extremely innovative solutions such as Forested Infiltration Areas (FIAs). These are wooded surfaces specifically created and maintained to facilitate the entry of surface water into the subsoil to recharge groundwater. In brief, during periods of abundance, water (which would otherwise flow away from the territory, being lost) is diverted into specific channels within these special forests. While traveling through these channels, it has the time to infiltrate the subsoil until it reaches the aquifer: thus, it is “stored” to be available again during periods of scarcity.

From theory to practice: how to finance Nature-based solutions ?

Every context is different and, therefore, there is no single optimal financing strategy for NBS that can be applied everywhere. Therefore, Etifor has several tools for this purpose.

In particular, Etifor can support the design, financing, and implementation of nature-based solutions:

The documentary “Senza Acqua. Troppa Acqua (Without Water. Too Much Water)” by Will Media

What is going on? Do we or do we not have water? How is it possible to have drought but also  floods? How does climate change fit into all this? Most importantly: what are the most effective solutions to reduce the impacts of these extreme events? Mattia Battagion tells us in the Italian documentary “Senza Acqua. Troppa Acqua (Without Water. Too Much Water) made by Will Media in collaboration with A2A.

In the documentary, Lucio Brotto (Etifor and WOWnature co-founder) talks about Bosco Limite: a multifunctional forest and infiltration forest area, part of the wownature.eu forest network.