Oh no!

Olive trees across the Mediterranean have been hit by freak events that mirror climate change predictions – erratic rainfalls, early spring frosts, strong winds and summer droughts.

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[Italy has seen a] 57% plunge in the country’s olive harvest.

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Several reports by the UN intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC) “all point to these climatic extremes as one of the major impacts of climate change”, he said. “We know there will be more extremes and anomalies in the future.”

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Average temperatures in the Mediterranean have already risen by 1.4C above pre-industrial levels – compared with a global average of about 1C – and precipitation has fallen by 2.5%.

In the past 18 months, Italy has experienced summer droughts, autumn floods and spring ice waves.

Olive trees are weakened by these kinds of weather shocks and, even if they recover, are left more vulnerable to outbreaks of the xylella fastidiosa bacterium and olive fly infestations, which have hit farmers in Italy and Greece, Valentini said.

Italy’s Coldiretti farmers’ union estimates that the cost of the olive oil collapse this year has already reached €1bn.

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Beyond Italy, the European commission has projected 2018-19 olive harvests to drop by 20% in Portugal and 42% in Greece, although industry sources said final figures there could be significantly worse.

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This year, the EU expects Europe’s overall olive basket to be saved by a surge from its biggest producer, Spain.

A trend there towards super intensive plantations may partly mitigate climate change impacts, according to Valentini – but at a cost to traditional farming and biodiversity. Fast-growing, high-density olive plantations might be more drought-resistant but water resources could also be limited by these plantations, he said.

“It will change the rural landscape from older growth olive trees to more intensive plantations,” he added. “People in the south of Italy are beginning to move in that direction. I don’t like it but I understand it is an adaptation.”

  Guardian

Another sad loss for your grandchildren.