Italy, this country which illustrates the “tropicalization” underway in the Mediterranean countries

The Copernicus Climate Change Service and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) published on Monday April 22 an alarming new report on the effects of climate change in Europe. This annual report notably highlights above-average temperatures and flooding. Mediterranean countries are particularly concerned, notably Italy where there is talk of “tropicalization” or “extremization” of the climate.

Italy experienced more than one extreme weather event per day last year, the report notes. “The Mediterranean is the victim of a climate punching bag”, explains Antonello Pasini, climate physicist at the National Research Council. The first movement of the punching bag is heat. These are the 45 degrees exceeded last July in Sicily and Sardinia. It is also the glaciers of the Alps which have lost 10% of their volume.

A phenomenon that has a cost

“Before, the air almost always circulated from west to east, but now it circulates more and more on a south-north / north-south axis. First come these very hot African anticyclones which bring great heat but also Drought”, explains Antonello Pasini. Italy, last year, also experienced 118 episodes of flooding due to intense rains. This is the second movement of the punching bag. “When these anticyclones head back towards Africa, cold currents enter which create a very strong contrast with the pre-existing hot and humid air, the hot ground, and the Mediterranean which also heats up, and then disasters arrive.” reports the physicist.

Rather than tropicalization of the Italian climate, the expert prefers to speak of extremization. A phenomenon that has a cost. The cost of the floods in Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany last May is estimated at more than 10 billion euros.