Malta is prone to floods, erosion and fresh-water shortage (European Commission n.d.). Initiatives such as the National Flood Relief Project - which involved the construction of a network of underground tunnels, canals and bridges for better storm-water drainage by 2015 (Ministry for European Affairs and Equality n.d.) - Valletta will be one of the European cities worst hit by drought and heatwaves as a result of climate change, potentially pushing the country beyond breaking point. The research team showed results for three possible futures, which they called the low-, medium- and high-impact scenarios. Even in the most optimistic scenario, Malta will experience 38 per cent more heatwave days each year and maximum temperatures around four degrees Celsius higher. On this view, drought will become 1.29 times more severe.