At last, El Niño has arrived.
This cyclical weather pattern, which causes the planet to warm slightly every few years, is being felt once again. And unlike a few decades ago, it is now adding to the effects of climate change, which is not cyclical or natural, but caused by human activity and showing no sign of slowing down.
The result is that this summer is likely to be very hot. In cities in particular, where tarmac and building systems make the air even more intense and uncomfortable. However, there are ways to make urban areas safer and more liveable. Fondazione Capellino, which wholly owns the Almo Nature brand and invests its net profits in protecting biodiversity, is helping to test these approaches in Florence. Trees are part of the solution, but not the only one.
1El Niño, a cyclical weather pattern, can worsen human driven climate change and make this summer especially hot.
2Heat is a particular problem in cities, where temperatures are often higher than in surrounding areas.
3That is why Fondazione Capellino is trialling nature based solutions in Florence and Barcelona.
Should we be concerned about summer?
High temperatures in summer are nothing new. But in recent years, summers have on average become hotter and longer. With El Niño, the summer we are now entering is likely to follow that trend. For example, according to the European Copernicus programme, 2023, 2024 and 2025 were the three hottest years ever recorded globally.
Overall, summer is becoming more challenging. While it is essential to reduce the emissions driving rising temperatures, we also need to adapt to the heat we are already experiencing. This is where the work of Fondazione Capellino comes in.
The key idea is nature based solutions. In simple terms, these are approaches that use natural systems to help reduce emissions and limit the impact of climate change, often by restoring ecosystems or working with natural processes.
Trees are the most familiar example. On hillsides, they help stabilise soil and reduce the risk of landslides. In cities, they provide shade, lower temperatures, and help improve air quality. They also store carbon dioxide, one of the main gases driving global warming.
In Florence, Italy, Fondazione Capellino Foundation is working on these ideas with the National Research Council and the local university. Researchers first studied local conditions, including average temperatures, biodiversity levels, and areas most at risk. They then installed monitoring stations to track climate and air quality.
Next comes the practical work. This includes planting trees in the right places, but also adding water features, using materials that absorb less heat, creating shaded structures, and encouraging natural vegetation.
The project is still ongoing, but the goal is to help the city cope better with rising temperatures over the coming decades.
What works in one place can also be used elsewhere. In Barcelona, Spain, Fondazione Capellino has already launched a second pilot project with a similar approach.
Nature based solutions are only just beginning to show how they can help us respond to climate change.