Fading blooms, bleaching reefs: natural wonders are changing face

Another very famous but also very fragile Italian landscape is the pristine white Scala dei Turchi. The celebrated limestone terrace of Realmonte, in Sicily, has long shown clear signs of accelerated erosion . The high number of visitors and natural erosion have prompted authorities to restrict access since 2020 to prevent irreversible damage. The environment, already fragile due to the nature of the marble, is further stressed by rising temperatures and increased rainfall, concentrated in short, extreme events, typical of the current Mediterranean climate. This threatens not only the aesthetic beauty but also the hydrogeological safety of the entire cliff.

Even some iconic places of natural beauty and marine ecosystems are suffering a fate marked by the effects of climate change. Already severely compromised by coral bleaching, the Great Barrier Reef is experiencing irreversible processes: rising sea temperatures are causing thermal stress to coral colonies, which, without adequate recovery, risk ecological collapse. According to NASA, the oceans are warming by approximately 0.3-0.4°C every decade, with bleaching affecting vast areas of reefs. This loss affects not only biodiversity , but also the source of income for millions of people who rely on tourism and fishing. And then there are the Maldives : a fragile archipelago, where 80% of the islands rise less than 1 meter above sea level. In recent decades, sea levels have risen by approximately 3.4 mm per year, with peaks of up to 4 mm annually, threatening the habitability of vast areas by 2100. The IPCC estimates only half a meter of sea level rise if emissions do not decline dramatically. The combination of coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion, and stress on coral reefs is already eroding both the natural environment and the country's economic foundation.

The hypersaline body of water—the lowest point on Earth, located at -733 meters above sea level—is receding at a staggering rate : it currently loses about 1 meter of depth each year. Compared to the 1960s, the level has dropped by over 20 meters. The causes are both climatic (less rainfall in the region) and anthropogenic: the exploitation of aquifers and the waters of the most important tributaries, including the Jordan River, has led to a decrease in the flow of water to the Dead Sea. The consequences are profound: the formation of sinkholes or dolines, environmental degradation, and risks to infrastructure and local communities.

There is a place in Chile where climate change is producing phenomena that are visually beautiful : the Acatama Desert , known for its extreme aridity. Events such as unexpected rainfall (even snow!) and resulting anomalous flowerings are occurring with increasing frequency. And while these phenomena certainly create evocative landscapes, they also raise concerns about the stability of the desert ecosystem and the ability of its inhabitants to adapt to such rapid changes.