Malta Faced Desert Conditions Due To Lack Of Rainfall In 2024
In a report by the Energy and Water agency, the hydrological period between 1st October 2023 and 30th September 2024 broke the record for the driest period ever recorded.
The island was classified as having an “arid” climate in 2023-2024 that came with conditions typically characteristic of desert regions.
Aridity is the measure of how dry a place is, which is calculated by comparing the annual rainfall to the amount of water lost through evaporation and transpiration- the process of water evaporating from plants.
This marks a worrying milestone in Malta’s current struggle with water scarcity and drought.
The Aridity Index (AI) from the MWA’s report shows that in the nine years previous to last year, the country experiences semi-arid conditions, with the last hydrological year (2023-2024) being dry.
This shift brings up a severe threat to farming, food production and long-term water management.
The EWA report also marks a decline in rainfall between the year 2008 and 2024, where the average rainfall recorded annually is 458mm. These figures show a 17% drop compared to the long-term average record between 1940 and 2024.
These figures show a considerable decrease in the main natural water source for an island already facing the realities of the scarcity of water.
The report from the agency suggests continued diversification of water supply and the use of sustainable water sources like re-using treated sewage as irrigation water.
These non-conventional approaches will help Malta and its industries better adapt to the reality of its changing climate.
What do you make of this?
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