Water crisis threatens 18% of Italy's GDP - report

(ANSA) - ROME, MAR 22 - The water-supply crisis threatens Italian businesses that generate annual revenues of around 320 billion euros, 18% of Italy's GDP, according to a white paper released on Wednesday for World Water Day.
    The paper, entitled Water Value for Italy (Valore Acqua per l'Italia), was released by the Community Valore Acqua observatory set up by the The European House-Ambrosetti think tank in 2019.
    It said the way to combat the water crisis is to adopt a circular economy based on the 5 Rs: rethink, redesign, reduce, reuse, recycle.
    Italy is currently in the midst of a severe drought, which is causing massive problems for farmers, especially in the north of the country.
    The government has announced it will set up a task force and emergency commissioner to tackle the water crisis.
    Scientists say that extreme weather events like heat waves, supercharged storms, flooding and droughts are becoming more frequent and more intense because of climate change caused by human greenhouse-gas emissions. (ANSA).