VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta has been officially classified as having arid climate conditions for the first time in recent history, following a record-breaking dry year.
A new report by the Energy and Water Agency (EWA) reveals that the hydrological year from 1 October 2023 to 30 September 2024 was the driest on record. Rainfall was so scarce that the islands experienced conditions typical of desert regions.
The findings are based on the Aridity Index (AI), which measures dryness by comparing annual rainfall to water lost through evaporation and plant use. Areas falling into the arid category face major challenges in sustaining water resources and agriculture.
For nine of the last ten years, Malta experienced semi-arid conditions. However, 2023–2024 marked a shift to aridity, placing the country in the same category as the Sahara Desert, Chile’s Atacama, and arid parts of southern Europe such as Spain and Greece.
Traditionally semi-arid, Malta’s climate change to arid poses significant risks to farming, food security, and long-term water management. The EWA warns that without urgent measures, the country could face worsening shortages in both water supply and agricultural output.
– Photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS)
