The article “Potential for Sustainable Irrigation Expansion in a 3°C Warmer Climate”, co-authored by Matteo Sangiorgio, researcher at the Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering of the Politecnico di Milano and member of Prof. Andrea Castelletti research group, was cited in the 2023 Economic Report of the President issued by the Council of Economic Advisers of the current US administration together with the Executive Office of the President of the United States. The report, published every year, presents an overview of the US economy in terms of employment, production, real incomes and federal budget, and outlines the goals that the American government intends to achieve in the coming years.
The cited article deals with the expected impact of climate change on the distribution of irrigated lands. Using climatic projections from three global climate models, the study investigates global patterns of irrigation water demand and availability in 1.5 °C and 3 °C warmer climates. The investigation finds that in up to 35% of currently rain-fed croplands, irrigation could be expanded as an adaptation strategy to climate change without negative environmental externalities on freshwater resources.
Irrigation expansion could reduce vulnerability to water stress and improve crop productivity to feed up to 300 million additional people using small-scale water storage and up to 1.4 billion additional people using large-scale water storage. The work identifies target regions where investments in sustainable intensification of agriculture through irrigation expansion are needed.