The southern part of Italy is hot and dry while the northern tip is much cooler. Mountains cover most of the country but some areas have coastal lowlands and plains. Natural disasters like landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and flooding threaten this country continually. Current environmental concerns include air pollution, pollution of coastal and inland rivers, acid rain and inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities. Ninety percent of drinking water comes from groundwater sources and some of these aquifers are polluted due to widespread uses of fertilizer and pesticides.
Several rivers run the risk of becoming dead because of industrial pollution.
Pollution is a major factor affecting the marine environment, causing contamination of seafood and eutrophication of enclosed bays. Throughout Italy, municipal sewage is discharged untreated from coastal cities, and millions of tons of crude oil are released annually from oil-related operations. Chemical pollution has contributed to the depletion of species such as Posidonia meadows, whales, sharks, dolphins, turtles and seals. Most of this ecological destruction is caused by development of coastal areas, which are important for tourism.