Centro di ricerca interdisciplinare sulla Sostenibilità e il Clima

Greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, the climate continues to warm, and the intensity and frequency of extreme events continue to increase. Roberto Buizza's speech at the conference on natural disasters organised by the Municipality of Pisa

Publication date: 14.10.2025

Roberto Buizza, full professor at the Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Sustainability and Climate at the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, spoke at the event organised in the Sala Balneari of the Municipality of Pisa by the Municipality and the Rotary Club of Pisa, on the occasion of the “International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction” (13 October).

Buizza drew attention to some incorrect statements made about the state of the climate during the United Nations General Assembly on 23 September. Contrary to what was said, global emissions continue to rise, and as a result, the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is reaching ever higher levels (we are at around 430 ppm) and the climate continues to change. This is evidenced by temperature peaks and the increase in the intensity and frequency of extreme events. Extreme events such as heat waves or heavy rainfall causing floods, such as the one that hit Tuscany on 14 March this year.

The cause of climate change is clear: it is us, it is human activity. The continued use of fossil fuels, coal and methane gas, and the exploitation of land through intensive farming and the use of fertilisers, have produced and continue to produce greenhouse gases, whose concentration in the atmosphere continues to increase.

The whole world is affected by climate change, but often it is the populations with the fewest resources, and therefore the least ability to adapt, that are most affected. These are countries that, among other things, have often contributed very little to greenhouse gas emissions. Technological solutions exist, but there is a lack of effective mitigation and adaptation policies that would lead to a drastic reduction in emissions in a short time frame. If we want to keep global average warming below 2°C, we need to achieve net zero emissions by 2020.

Policy measures to combat climate change and the Italian case

Buizza drew attention to the example of the United Kingdom, a country that is investing in decarbonisation within the timeframe discussed in the Paris Agreement signed at COP21 in 2015, and which is working to achieve both the European Union's “fit-for-55” target by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050. The European Union itself had defined an excellent decarbonisation programme (the “Green Deal”), but many countries, according to Buizza, are pushing for a substantial slowdown in decarbonisation.
Such a slowdown would be a mistake, especially for Italy, which would benefit economically from reducing its dependence on fossil fuels. As one of the countries most exposed to the impacts of climate change, Italy would suffer less damage and therefore enjoy substantial co-benefits in the future if the net-zero emissions target were achieved.
At the global level, Buizza also pointed out that reducing dependence on fossil fuels would reduce the likelihood of conflict, as demonstrated by the fact that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997 in recognition of the impact of their work on reducing potential future conflicts. This reduction would also lead to less internal tension and therefore less migration from countries most exposed to the impact of climate change, such as many African countries.

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14.10.2025