Climate change affecting many sectors in Italy says European Commission

(ANSA) - ROME, MAY 24 - The climate crisis is already having a big impact in Italy, the European Commission said in its spring recommendations on Wednesday, adding that Rome should revise its subsides on the fossil fuels that are the driving force behind global hearing.
    "Climate change is affecting many sectors in Italy, with adaptation challenges concerning soil and water management in particular," the Commission said.
    "The problem of water scarcity has expanded to cover northern Italy, with decreasing moisture and increased sealing and degradation of soils.
    "This affects hydropower generation, water for human consumption, agriculture, and the flow of water bodies.
    "Local communities are exposed to flash floods and extreme heat, with the risk of heat-related death and morbidity projected to rise significantly" The Commission said that Italy's governance of water management was fragmented with "significant leakages".
    It called for investment in flood control, re-naturalising water bodies, improving land use planning, reducing the sealing of soils.
    "Italy provides fossil fuel and other environmentally harmful subsidies that could be considered for reform, while ensuring food and energy security and mitigating social effects," it said.
    "Italy has a catalogue of environmentally harmful subsidies, estimated at 20.4 billion euros in 2020...
    "Italy has the potential to use taxation to tackle resource use and pollution". (ANSA).