A Europe split in two by climate: this is what emerges from the report European State of the Climate 2024, published by the Copernicus Climate Change Service and the World Meteorological Organization. The year 2024 was the hottest year on record, and Italy found itself in the borderline role between two opposing scenarios: in the north, heavy rainfall and extreme weather phenomena; in the south, record heat, low rainfall and prolonged heat stress. According to ANBI, the National Association of Consortia for the Management and Protection of Land and Irrigated Water, Italy is now crossed by a new “climatic equator”. The North has enjoyed water abundance, while the South-particularly Sicily-is preparing for a difficult summer, with reservoirs still inadequately filled despite recent rains. Meanwhile, the Mediterranean continues to warm: water temperatures along the northern coasts are registering increases of between +1.5 and +2.5 degrees, increasing the risk of extreme events and landslides.