Strategie di Adattamento ai Cambiamenti Climatici delle Aziende Vinicole in Toscana

Climate change presents critical challenges to the global wine industry, with Tuscany—a region famed for its high-quality wines—facing pronounced risks from rising temperatures and shifting weather patterns, which could even make most of the area unsuitable for viticulture. This thesis examines the adaptation strategies employed by wine companies in Tuscany to address these challenges and ensure the sustainability of their operations. Using a qualitative research approach, the study is based on semi-structured interviews with entrepreneurs, managers, and agronomists from a diverse range of wine enterprises throughout the region. The findings reveal that Tuscan wine companies, in contrast to the stereotype of a sector reluctant to change, are aware of the problems posed by climate change and are already implementing a variety of adaptation strategies, including changes to vineyard management practices and adjustments to harvesting schedules. Participants highlighted the growing role of innovative technologies, such as precision viticulture tools and advanced climate monitoring systems, for both data collection and sustainable adaptation. These technologies enable producers to optimize water use, monitor soil health, and predict climatic impacts, significantly enhancing their resilience to climate variability. However, producers underscored the pressing need for greater institutional and financial support to address the escalating costs and complexities of climate adaptation. Limited access to funding and insufficient technical guidance were identified as significant barriers to effective implementation, especially for small-size companies, that, differently from the sample interviewed for the thesis, constitute the majority of wine producers in the region. The research concludes by offering targeted recommendations to reinforce general sustainability and strengthen the adaptive capacity of the Tuscan wine industry through enhanced support mechanisms, technological integration, and proactive climate strategies tailored to the unique challenges of the region.