Munich Re has warned Italians that while statistical data doesn’t indicate a trend towards a rise in weather catastrophes, increasing drought, floods and heat will leave an impression.

Speaking at a conference in Rome last week, Munich Re’s Head of Geo Risks Research Peter Hoeppe said heat and drought are far more severe in Italy than any other part of Europe, and recent heatwaves and floods must be examined for their link to climate change.

But he says active measures to combat climate change in Italy, such as developing power generation from renewable sources, offer huge opportunities in a country where high levels of solar radiation and geothermal heat provide “significant economic potential”.