Piedmont and Liguria Seek Alliance to Tackle Drought with New Reservoirs

The presidents of Italy's Piedmont and Liguria regions, Alberto Cirio and Claudio Scajola, met recently to forge a new alliance focused on water management and infrastructure development aimed at tackling recurring drought emergencies. The meeting, held in Imperia, addressed the critical need for proactive solutions beyond immediate crisis response.

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The meeting is moving in the direction of strengthening institutional collaboration between our territories with particular attention to the management and prevention of water emergencies that we have all been facing for weeks.

A key focus of their discussion was the potential for constructing new reservoirs in the Maritime Alps. This initiative is envisioned not as an immediate fix for the current water crisis, but as a long-term strategic plan to enhance water conservation and management capabilities, particularly in light of increasingly frequent and unpredictable droughts attributed to climate change. Both leaders expressed a shared commitment to strengthening institutional collaboration between their regions to better manage and prevent water-related emergencies.

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We have shared the desire to work together on long-term infrastructure planning.

Beyond emergency preparedness, Cirio and Scajola agreed to work together on long-term infrastructure planning, with a detailed operational discussion on the Maritime Alps reservoirs scheduled for autumn. This collaboration is already evident in current emergency responses, such as the use of Ligurian waters by Canadair aircraft fighting fires in the Maritime Alps. The goal now is to translate this political understanding into a concrete action plan, involving relevant territories and institutions, and addressing the practicalities of reservoir construction and management.

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We are convinced that on the issue of reservoirs, we must overcome the ideological preclusions that have characterized so many of the last few years, because climate change makes it evident to everyone that we must think long-term about water management.

Looking ahead, the regions are eyeing the 2028-2034 European programming period as a potential source of funding for these projects. Cirio stressed the importance of moving past ideological objections that have historically hindered water storage initiatives. Both Piedmont and Liguria are advocating at the national level for reservoirs to be classified as strategic infrastructure of national interest, a designation they believe will streamline and expedite the approval process for crucial water management projects.

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unlock and simplify projects