Climate crisis
News and analysis of the climate crisis.
RANKED: The Italian cities with the best (and worst) climate
The Adriatic coast has the best climate in Italy, both in the short- and long-term, two recent climate livability studies found.
After a record-hot summer, what weather can Italy expect this autumn and winter?
A strong El Niño could bring above-average temperatures, forecasters say, but extreme weather events remain a risk.
Italy heads for hottest year on record after scorching summer
Italy is on course to set new temperature records in 2026, the National Research Council (CNR) said on Monday, after confirming this summer as the hottest in over seven decades.
Climate crisis: How the supersized El Niño could hit Europe
With Europe already seeing record-breaking temperatures and extreme weather episodes the summer, here's how meteorologists say the supersized El Niño phenomenon could hit the continent's climate in the coming months.
Will the European Union take up the climate fight after brutal heatwaves?
Is climate change set for a comeback as a top EU priority, after a deadly summer of record-breaking heatwaves across Europe?
Italy's summer drags on as highs of 36C forecast for weekend
Temperatures will briefly ease as September begins, but extreme heat is expected to make a comeback from Thursday.
MAP: Which will be the hottest parts of Italy this weekend?
Italy’s latest sweltering heatwave was set to peak on Friday with temperatures pushing 45C on the major islands, before easing off over the weekend.
Italy set for late summer heatwave with highs of 42C
Another spell of intense heat is set to affect central and southern Italy at the end of the week, while the north faces thunderstorms.
'We're heading for catastrophe': The summer climate change hit Europe
For generations, summer in Europe has been languid and dreamy, bringing fine weather and lengthy days on sunny beaches and terraces. But in 2026, the brutal reality of climate change forced its way into daily life.
Heatwave-hit Europe logs over 30,000 excess summer deaths
Europe saw at least 30,000 excess deaths across a blistering summer of back-to-back heatwaves and drought which scientists have blamed on man-made climate change, according to provisional figures.
In Numbers: How bad are Italy's wildfires and who's to blame?
Italy has spent the summer fighting wildfires from Sicily and Calabria to the Alps. With the season not yet over, here’s what data tells us about the scale of the fires - and who is setting them.
LATEST: Europe's battle with wildfires continues
Countries across Europe on Sunday continued to battle wildfires amid blistering temperatures and tinder-dry landscapes.
Europe battles new wave of wildfires
Countries across Europe on Saturday battled wildfires amid blistering temperatures and tinder-dry landscapes, with thousands of people evacuated.
More than 150 million in Europe face temperatures over 35C on Friday
Millions of people across Europe -- particularly in France, Italy, Spain and Britain -- baked through a new wave of extreme temperatures Thursday as the continent's latest heatwave picked up.
Italy braced for sweltering Ferragosto weekend with highs of 40C
The latest heatwave scorching Italy is set to continue into the weekend, forecasters say, before easing off towards the start of next week.
Heatwave hits evicted families sleeping rough in Rome
For hundreds of people recently kicked out of a social centre in Rome, extreme heat is proving an added strain on top of a dispute highlighting the Italian capital's housing crisis.
Gelato for lunch? Bedlinen in the freezer? Heatwave tips from southern Europe
With scorching temperatures breaking records across Europe this summer, The Local has put together tried and tested tips for surviving heatwaves from southern Europe, where locals have had decades of practice coping with the heat.
Drought and heat fuel wildfire that forced 200 to evacuate near Italy's Lake Garda
Firefighters are still monitoring the Tignale area on Monday after dry conditions and high winds drove a blaze that burned 50 hectares of forest.
Western Europe experienced hottest June-July on record
Western Europe experienced its hottest June-July on record as climate change fuels an historic summer of heat, drought and wildfires across the region, the EU's global warming monitor said Monday.
Could summer 2026 be Italy’s hottest on record?
Temperatures across much of Italy are approaching or exceeding those recorded during the infamous summer of 2003, as heatwaves become more frequent.
Rome commuters swelter as extreme heat exposes problems on Metro C and buses
Rome’s newest metro line is facing criticism over high temperatures, while air conditioning systems on electric buses struggle with higher temperatures than they were designed for.
UPDATED: Which Italian cities are currently under heat alerts?
With temperatures touching 40C during Italy's latest heatwave, the country's health ministry has placed a number of major cities on red alert - the highest level warning.
Drought: The regions in Italy with water restrictions
Cities and regions across Italy are issuing ordinances to limit water use amid drought conditions and dwindling supplies.