Climate adaptation: Experts urge urban greening and water management

Ferdinando Palumbo, Coordinator of the Circles of Environment and Rural Culture of Campania, has called for immediate climate adaptation measures to prevent a worsening crisis by 2027. He advocates for urban interventions such as de-paving, increasing green spaces, planting trees, and improving rainwater management to enhance soil permeability and reduce pressure on drainage systems during intense precipitation.

Palumbo notes that trees serve as essential environmental infrastructure by providing shade, cooling urban areas, and absorbing CO2. He points to international models in cities like Paris, Rotterdam, Copenhagen, and Barcelona that have implemented programs to remove impermeable surfaces and create new green areas to manage water and heat.

The increasing frequency of extreme weather events, including heatwaves, torrential rains, and droughts, is linked to rising global temperatures and greenhouse gas accumulation. Scientific factors, such as the Clausius-Clapeyron equation, indicate that a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, leading to more intense rainfall. Addressing these challenges requires both mitigation through energy transition and adaptation through the redesign of urban territories to be more absorbent.