News

Comparison on the implementation of the National Guidelines for the conservation of Mediterranean trout and its habitat

On April 8, a meeting planned by the LIFE STREAMS Project will take place at the “Catasta Pollino” Center in Morano Calabro (CS), in the Pollino National Park Authority, to verify the implementation of the Guidelines for the conservation of Mediterranean trout and its habitat (Action C.5 – ISPRA Manuals and Guidelines 207/2024), in person or online.

Impatta Disrupt Italian Innovability Festival

The Festival, organized as part of Earth Day Italy, celebrates the World Day of Creativity and Innovation, established by the United Nations for a faster achievement of the 17 sustainable development goals of the 2030 Agenda.

Political, economic and financial decision-makers meet with civil society and the media to discuss how to fully express the extraordinary Italian potential in the field of innovation to achieve that “green renaissance” to which history forcefully calls us.

The state of remediation of contaminated sites in Italy: third report on regional data

ISPRA has published the third report on remediation of contaminated sites in Italy where is presented data on administrative and technical procedures updated to 31/12/2021 based on data provided by the Regions/Autonomous Provinces/Environmental Protection Agencies as part of the 2022 population of MOSAICO, the national database on remediation procedures.

The Land is over. Uses, reuses and abuses of the soil

The Department of Political Sciences of the University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli" is organizing the conference on April 4th in Caserta "The Land is over. Uses, reuses and abuses of the soil".

Michele Munafò, Head of the Service for the National Environmental Information System of ISPRA, will participate at the conference.

City Nature Challenge 2025, ISPRA promotes Citizen Science activities in Rome

The 2025 edition of the City Nature Challenge (CNC) will be held from 25 to 28 April, an international competition between citizens of hundreds of cities around the world to document biodiversity and spread the culture of environmental protection.

In this context, ISPRA is promoting two Citizen Science activities in Rome.

Manual for the application of Appropriate Assessment procedures in marine sites

ISPRA as part of the activities included in the project LIFE SEA.NET “Urgent actions for the implementation of marine Natura 2000 Network”  has carried out the "Manual for the application of Appropriate Assessment procedures in marine sites", which illustrates the results of one of the research actions of the project, coordinated by Legambiente. The document provides technical indications to support the writers of the Impact Assessments, the evaluators and the management bodies of the Natura 2000 sites, proposing methodologies for characterization, impact assessment and identification of specific mitigation and compensation measures for marine-coastal habitats and for marine species of community interest potentially affected by the construction of works and interventions at sea.

Life Conceptu Maris and A Ship of Books for Barcelona

On April 5, the scientists of the Life Conceptu Maris project will depart from Civitavecchia for Barcelona. This time, in addition to the usual monitoring of cetaceans and turtles, there will also be moments of scientific dissemination on board. The occasion is the event La Nave dei Libri (The Ship of Books), which brings readers and writers on board, bringing them together. During the crossing on April 6, the Italian students on board and the five European school delegations of the Erasmus+ "Desibook" project from Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Spain and Turkey will have the opportunity to meet the researchers on the passenger deck and learn how to spot dolphins, whales and sea turtles, directly overlooking the sea.

Aliens, Biodiversity, Sustainability

One of the biggest emergencies of recent years is the invasion of alien species that, as a result of globalization, enter new regions and ecosystems, upsetting the balance of the native species present, sometimes even replacing them. All this leads to a potential imbalance of the invaded ecosystem and to its potential degradation.

From residual risk to acceptable risk: new perspectives in landslide risk management

On May 16, 2025, ISPRA is organizing, together with CNR, ARPA Lombardia, the Autonomous Region of Valle d'Aosta, the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, the Autonomous Province of Trento, the University of Milan Bicocca and the National Council of Geologists and Engineers, a conference on hydrogeological instability entitled "From residual risk to acceptable risk: new perspectives in landslide risk management".

“Intrusopoly” of ISPRA at the Game Festival of Bologna

Walk along an obstacle course to meet some intruders of the marine world - alien species and waste - learn more about their secrets and reach the final goal: a healthy and clean sea!
The path is that of "Intrusopoly", the board game conceived and designed by ISPRA that will be officially presented at the Game Festival - Play 2025 from 4 to 6 April in Bologna.
The biggest Italian event dedicated to "analog" games - board games, role-playing games, miniatures, cards, for families - also hosts a scientific game pavilion this year. Some of the most important Italian research institutions and universities will animate the space with their creations: together with ISPRA, Inaf, Infn, Ogs, Cnr, IMT Alti Studi di Lucca and five universities, all with the aim of using the playful medium to disseminate knowledge.

FLORACULT 2025

FLORACULT returns for its fourteenth edition from Friday 25 to Sunday 27 April 2025.
The 2025 FLORACULT program includes workshops, installations, cultural and recreational experiences, meetings with internationally renowned researchers and artists, to delve into the most important issues related to the world of gardens, nature and the environment.
The theme of this edition is "cultivating wonder", an invitation to rediscover the beauty of nature and its inexhaustible ability to amaze us.
Also for this edition, ISPRA, the scientific partner of the event, will participate in FloraCult.

Discovering the residual vegetation of a Mediterranean forest in the heart of Rome! Citizen Science activities

The National Biodiversity Network of ISPRA is also this year a partner of the National Academy of Sciences known as the XL, the body that coordinates the initiatives of the territory of the Metropolitan City of Rome. On April 26, the Network promotes a Citizen Science activity at the Pineto Regional Urban Park that will lead participants to discover the residual vegetation of a Mediterranean forest in the heart of Rome. Participants will be accompanied by researchers from the Institute along a path of about 3 km during which the topics related to the importance of land management and the Natura 2000 Network, lichens as bioindicators and bioaccumulators for monitoring air quality will be discussed. The endemic species present along the path will be described up to the description of the residual vegetation typical of the Mediterranean environment and the species of avifauna present in the visited territory will be "listened to".

Different bodies one future

What environment do I live in? What do I eat? Can I do something to improve everyone's health? We start from here to tell the concept of ONE HEALTH, for which our health, that of animals and the environment are interconnected elements. Short films made by middle school students will be the starting point to illustrate issues related to the sustainability of human activities in marine and coastal environments. The spectators will then become protagonists by expressing their vision of the future and the concept of Diversity of bodies-One Health-one Future.

Ipazia, Galileo and the sourdough

On Sunday 30 March at 9:00 pm at Palazzo Rospigliosi in Zagarolo, ISPRA together with INAF (National Institute of Astrophysics) will hold the conference show Ipazia, Galilero and the sourdough. created as part of the NET Project - Scienza Insieme.

Together with researchers from the two institutes and two musicians, the history of space discoveries and exploration from ancient times to the present day will be retraced.

The big paradox: killing some Animals to save others

In recent decades, our relationship with animals has changed a lot. From a utilitarian attitude, we have developed a more empathetic bond, both with domestic and wild animals. This change, together with the cultural, emotional and cognitive factors that influence our way of seeing death, affects our judgment on interventions that involve the suppression of animals, even when the intent is to protect the species, as in the case of invasive species that threaten native ones.

Data, Bodies, Ecosystems: The Maps of Contemporary Health

Pollution, climate change, microplastics: how do we identify what is truly harmful to the environment and our health? Chiara Maggi, Head of the National Center for the national network of laboratories and Luisa Zuccolo, epidemiologist expert in maternal health, tell us how the data is created and how it is studied and interpreted to implement public policies that are fundamental for the health of our bodies.

Between land and sea. From disappearing sand to coastal erosion

Coasts are living, dynamic and vulnerable bodies, continually put to the test by erosion, rising sea levels and extreme events. Sand, an essential resource for beaches and seabeds, is becoming increasingly scarce and contested, fueling a global environmental crisis. Through knowledge of the delicate natural balances, the impact of human activity and climate change, the world of research is trying to define the most effective strategies to protect these fundamental natural bodies, indispensable for environmental and social well-being.

Adapting Communities

The climate crisis requires a strong common commitment to deal with the extreme weather events that increasingly hit our cities, threatening society, ecosystems and the economy. The watchword for cities is to adapt. The world of research is committed to supporting and developing strategies to make our urban areas resilient, capable of facing the threats caused by climate change, such as intense rainfall and heat waves, also through the active involvement of citizens.

Greenhouse gas emissions: 26% lower in 2023 than in 1990

Renewables drive improvement. Transport sector remains critical

ISPRA releases official data on greenhouse gas emissions in Italy

In 2023, national greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 26% compared to 1990 levels. This trend is due to the increase in energy efficiency from renewable sources, in industrial sectors and the transition to the use of fuels with a lower carbon content.

Greenhouse gas emissions also decreased compared to the previous year (2022) by 6.8% and reached a total of 385 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent.

However, not all sectors showed a reduction in emissions; emissions produced by the transport sector, which derive for over 90% from road transport, continue to increase also in 2023 and are over 7% compared to 1990. Despite European directives, emission levels from road transport have remained constantly high, settling at the 2014 values ​​and thus exceeding the maximum permitted ceiling.

These are the Ispra data that emerged from the latest edition of the "National Inventory of Greenhouse Gas Emissions" communicated, in conjunction with the emission scenarios for 2055, to the European Union.

1st National Conference of the National Health Prevention System from environmental and climatic risks (SNPS)

The conference will be an opportunity for discussion, consultation and proposal, for all the bodies that make up the SNPS: Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Ministry of Health and Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security, Prevention Departments of the Regions, ASL, Experimental Zooprophylactic Institutes, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, ISPRA and ARPA.

The aim of the meeting is to verify the state of implementation of the regulations on health, environment, biodiversity and climate and identify the solutions needed to implement intersectoral policies in these areas.

Renewables: an opportunity to regulate and manage

On March 27th, Palazzo Montecitorio will host the conference "Renewables: an opportunity to regulate and manage", an opportunity to discuss the regulation and governance of renewable energy with industry experts, institutions and academics

Landslides: What we know and what we do to defend ourselves; what we should know and do to defend ourselves better

XLII Enivorment Day

On June 5, on the occasion of World Environment Day, the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei organizes the conference "Landslides: what we know and what we do to defend ourselves; what we should know and do to defend ourselves better". The aim of the meeting is to take stock of the knowledge and technological capabilities to recognize, map, monitor and predict landslides and their impacts; to evaluate the obstacles to a full application of the available knowledge and technologies; to identify and analyze the knowledge gaps and the technological and organizational needs; and to indicate possible research and technological development activities, as well as organizational and management ones, for a more effective risk reduction, in the context of ongoing and expected environmental, climatic, economic and social changes.

BIGBANG: rain and drought divide Italy

Focus on the European strategy to make water systems resilient

World Water Day - March 22

The year 2024 was a very rainy year; this was stated by BIGBANG, the national hydrological balance model of ISPRA that provides the quantitative framework on water resources from 1951 onwards, including deficits, excess precipitation and trends in hydrological quantities (precipitation, runoff, evapotranspiration), necessary to characterize the current and future situation in the country.

The total annual volume of precipitation was estimated by ISPRA at around 319 billion cubic meters (corresponding to 1,056 mm), more than 10% higher than the annual average for the last thirty-year climatological period 1991-2020, estimated at around 285 billion cubic meters (951 mm). February was the wettest month, with a positive anomaly of +72% compared to the average value for the thirty-year period 1991-2020; on the other hand, November - normally among the wettest months - recorded a strong negative anomaly of -72% compared to the climatological average.

At regional and district level, the situation is very diverse: Northern Italy was affected by precipitation amounts higher than historical averages, which in some cases caused flooding events, such as those in Lombardy in May and in Emilia-Romagna in September and October. Southern Italy and the major islands continued to suffer significant precipitation deficits, which prolonged the drought and the related problems of water severity, even if Sardinia, in October, saw particularly intense rainfall events.

ISPRA researchers selected to draft the 2027 Methodological Report on Short-Lived Climate Forcers (SLCF)

ISPRA researchers Daniela Romano and Marina Vitullo have been selected to draft the 2027 Methodological Report on Short-Lived Climate Forcers (SLCF). The structure of the report was agreed during the 61st session of the IPCC in Sofia, Bulgaria, in August 2024. The selected lead authors will be responsible for drafting and revising the chapters of the report, taking into account feedback from experts and governments, and will be called to participate in meetings in the period 2025-2027.

ISPRA participation in Science Festival of Rome

From 8 to 13 April 2025, the Rome Science Festival returns to the Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone with its 20th edition.
Bodies is the theme of this edition.

When we talk about bodies, our first thought goes to human bodies, with their features, shapes and functions. Bodies that, through changes and adaptations, are the result of a long biological and cultural evolution. Which in turn has also influenced the perception of the body itself, which changes depending on society and historical periods, and constitutes the foundation of social interactions and cultural dynamics, since it determines what is considered attractive or acceptable

II° National conference Citizen Science

Three days of presentations on the new horizons of Citizen Science in Italy, which will culminate in the “Citizen Science Day”, a participatory event open to all citizens.

The conference is made up of initiatives aimed at both specialists in the sector and the general public and will end with a final event, open to all with free admission. During the Citizen Science Day there will be moments of in-depth study, practical exercises, performances, activities to be carried out in the city on the themes connected to participatory science.

Environment and climate

Environment and climate is the title of the fourth meeting organized by Roma Ricerca Roma. While land consumption in Rome continues to grow, the European Regulation 2024/1991 on Nature Restoration on the contrary establishes the protection of green “empty” residues, inside the built environment, to respond to increasingly pressing needs for climate adaptation, flood control and heat island reduction.

End of Waste. Construction and demolition: a comparison between protagonists

The end-of-waste regulation for the cessation of waste qualification is a fundamental element of the National Strategy for the Circular Economy (SEC), essential for the valorisation of waste, while at the same time allowing a reduction in the consumption of natural resources and raw materials.

National conference "Protected Areas & Conservation”

As indicated by the United Nations in the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), by 2030 we will have to effectively conserve at least 30% of the Planet, both on land and at sea, in addition to restoring degraded habitats and reducing human pressure on nature.

The challenge of creating new ecologically connected protected areas and managing them effectively has therefore begun and can only pass through sharing the most advanced data on the distribution of biodiversity and the most effective ways to conserve and restore it.

In this context, the National Conference “Protected Areas & Conservation” was born, with the aim of creating an exchange of knowledge and best practices on the conservation of biodiversity inside and outside protected areas to contribute at an Italian level to the objectives of the Global Biodiversity Framework.

6th RaStEM Workshop: a support tool for the design of hydrogeological risk mitigation interventions

RaStEM- Standardized Representation of Mitigation Effects - is a web gis tool developed by ISPRA with the dual purpose of guiding designers to a clear and homogeneous representation of the significant elements of a hydrogeological risk mitigation intervention and supporting them in drafting projects consistent with the criteria established by current legislation (DPCM 27/09/2021) for their financing by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE).