Climate Change Indicators and Impacts on Mastic Tree Cultivation in Chios, Greece

Climate change, a natural phenomenon driven by anthropogenic interventions, represents a global challenge that requires immediate and effective action. Significant alterations in atmospheric parameters and the occurrence of extreme climatic events have become increasingly evident. To evaluate extreme climate conditions and their variations within a specific region, climate data spanning at least five decades is essential. This study focuses on assessing the impacts of climate change on the island of Chios, with particular emphasis on its influence on the cultivation and harvesting of mastic gum, a unique product derived from the Pistacia lentiscus var. chia tree. Using ClimDex and analyzing 29 climate indices from 1960 to 2024, this paper evaluates historical and current climatic conditions. Key climate phenomena, such as the number of days with very high or low temperatures, extreme rainfall events, daily temperature variations, frost days, and days exceeding 25 °C—widely recognized indicators of climate change—are documented and correlated.