By the end of July, as fires raged and water supplies dwindled across much of Europe, Bruno Biffi, a farmer from the Lombardy province of Fara Gera D’Adda, prepared to harvest his corn a month ahead of schedule, even though the ears were not fully mature. The drought forced Biffi to push recovery efforts for his crop, highlighting a summer of extreme weather. In response, the Italian government declared a state of emergency in five northern regions: Emilia-Romagna, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Piedmont, Veneto, and Lombardy, a status that remained in effect in many areas.
That same Lombardy region, including Bergamo, surged into global focus in spring 2020 when a long line of army trucks carried dozens of coronavirus victims to cemeteries that could no longer accommodate the deceased. The stark image underscored the pandemic’s impact on a region that would become one of the world’s epicenters of Covid-19.
Today, the crisis has shifted. The initial drought has evolved into a harsher reality: hail along with prolonged drought hits farmers hard, complicating harvests and reducing yields in key crops such as wheat in several areas by as much as half. Dairy production has also felt the pressure from disrupted feeding and stress on livestock. Coldiretti, the Italian farmers’ association, notes that heavy hail after a drought compound the sector’s vulnerability to climate change.
denial, separate
These conditions help explain the ongoing political discourse around climate policy as Italy approaches its September elections. Some factions have downplayed the climate crisis in public debate, while major parties still promise action in their platforms. Matteo Salvini of the extreme right League has repeatedly criticized climate policy during rallies, at times branding it as a form of climate fundamentalism. In the past, Salvini voted against the Paris Agreement in 2016, demonstrating a shift in position over time. Giorgia Meloni, the leader of the Brotherhood party and a leading candidate in polls, has also presented controversial views on climate policy.
Many observers point to a broader, global pattern as an explanation for this turn. Droughts, heat waves, and other extreme weather events have raised public awareness in countries facing direct impacts. A recent European study, funded by the European Union and several member states, found that a large majority of Italians want more information on tackling the climate crisis and that concerns about its impact on future generations are widespread. The focus now lies on how best to respond, with consensus forming around renewable energy investment and ecological modernization as part of European Union support for a digital and green transition.
Within Italian politics, the Democratic Party advocates for increased investment in renewable energy and a broader ecological transition aligned with EU goals. Critics of Meloni’s stance argue that some of her positions connect ecological issues with cultural or religious frames and question the sufficiency of international measures to address the problem.
During a rally in Marbella in June, Meloni referenced Greta Thunberg’s ideas, describing the European Green Deal in terms that sparked debate about the balance between environmental action and economic vitality. The discussion continues as Brussels weighs the next steps in climate policy and energy security across Europe.