Events and News

Invent, innovate and transform the future of cultural heritage with Copernicus

ISPRA, together with the National Copernicus Users Forum and the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), is organizing a Hackathon entitled “Cultural Space”. This is a multidisciplinary event for young talents aimed at promoting innovation in the sectors of cultural heritage, air quality and climate change, making use of the Copernicus Earth observation products made available by the CAMS and C3S services.

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.

Memorandum of Understanding between ISPRA and the Po River Basin Authority to deepen the hydrogeological knowledge of the territory

The President of ISPRA Stefano Laporta and the Secretary General of the Po River District Basin Authority Alessandro Bratti have signed a memorandum of understanding, lasting five years. The collaboration, aimed at deepening and experimenting with scientifically complex issues in the Po River district, also includes actions necessary for an effective use of resources and for the subsequent adoption of a shared strategy, within the scope of the respective institutional competences.

The contribution of scientific research for the future of our mountains

The day aims to foster a dialogue between scientific research and mountain users/stakeholders, with other Italian bodies operating in mountain areas and with some representatives of civil society. This dialogue will be structured around the research themes of the Mountain Working Group, regarding atmosphere, climate, biodiversity, cryosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere and mountain medicine, also giving space to the project in collaboration between CNR and CAI "I Rifugi Sentinella del Clima e dell’Ambiente"

World Water Day 2025

World Water Day is celebrated on March 22, an annual United Nations observance focused on the importance of fresh water.
With over 2 billion people living without access to clean water, action is essential to address the global water crisis. A key goal of World Water Day is to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6: Water, sanitation and hygiene for all by 2030.

WATER resource care and universal access

Towards the Euro-Mediterranean Water Forum in Rome 2026

The international conference "Water: care of the resource and universal access. Towards the Euro-Mediterranean Water Forum in Rome 2026" will take place on March 21st. The meeting is from 10:00 in the Hall of Parliamentary Groups at the Chamber of Deputies.
In 2026, Rome will host the first Euro-Mediterranean Water Forum. The Forum, which until now has involved only the countries of the Mediterranean area, will for the first time also involve all the European and Balkan states.

"Teveremolluschifantastici...and where to find them" excursion on March 15th at the Nazzano Tevere-Farfa Regional Nature Reserve

On the occasion of the International Day of Action for Rivers, which is celebrated on March 14, ISPRA researchers will be in the Nazzano Tevere-Farfa Regional Nature Reserve as part of the participatory science project "Teveremolluschifantastici...e dove trovarli" to monitor the presence and distribution of native and alien molluscs in the Tiber River.

Management of drought risk and water crises

The webinar "Management of drought risk and water crises" is the third meeting organized by the Italian Hydrological Society as part of the «Lino Versace» Webinar Cycle on applied hydrology.
An ISPRA researcher will participate in the meeting.

Water: the priority of recovery and reuse

The Climate Adaptation Strategy of Rome Capital approved on 14 January 2025 identifies among the priorities the efficient management of water resources and the recovery, reuse and recycling of water as the essential measures to significantly and structurally reduce the consumption of drinking water.

The conference will examine the objectives and challenges to adapt the territory of Rome Capital and water management to a scenario of more frequent and intense climate change and drought and will explore the projects in the field and to be launched to enhance the advanced concept of recovery, reuse and recycling for all compatible uses.

“Green wire for a sustainable Jubilee” the SNPA events to reflect on ecology, science and faith

In March, on the occasion of World Water Day will start the initative “Green wire for a sustainable Jubilee"  with the first three regional events organized by Arpa Friuli Venezia Giulia, Arpa Liguria and Arpa Umbria (which will start as early as March 20th). This is a series of events which, involving the entire Italian territory at a regional level and, finally, at a national level, with  meetings, seminars, nature trails and city celebrations.

Presentation of the volume "Drought, scarcity and water crises - The contribution of research to support the definition of the water balance"

The volume is a collective work written by the “Drought, scarcity and water crises” working group of the Department of Earth System Sciences and Environmental Technologies of the Cnr, with the contribution of around 100 authors from various Cnr Institutes and the support from ISPRA, the Civil Protection Department and the commissioner structure for water scarcity.
The objective of this presentation is to open a dialogue between the main national bodies and institutions involved in the topics of drought, management and governance of water resources.

TETHYS4ADRION project

Enhancing Cross-Border Cooperation for Riverine Plastic Litter Reduction in the Adriatic and Ionian Seas
The TETHYS4ADRION project studies the role of rivers in the spread of plastic pollution in the Adriatic-Ionian region, and has the general objective of developing mitigation strategies in order to reduce the input of waste from waterways to the sea.
The project will develop operational solutions that combat river plastic pollution by restoring the integrity of river ecosystems. Best practices to address the problem will be identified, which will be tested and validated through the collaboration of all stakeholders involved in the pilot areas.

ISPRA is partner of the project

Winter School on Environmental Impact Assessment

The call for participation in the Winter School on Environmental Impact Assessment in collaboration with La Sapienza di Roma has been published. The activity includes frontal and laboratory teaching and is reserved for university and PhD students. The topics addressed in this edition: surface waters; excavated earth and rocks.

Registration deadline: February 20th.

Computing riverine inputs of macrolitter into the Central Tyrrhenian Sea (Western Mediterranean Sea) from the Tiber River during the 1st post-pandemic year

Published in the "peer reviewed" journal Science of the Total Environment, a joint ISPRA and Uniroma Tre study on the floating macrolitter that reaches the sea from the Tiber river through its two mouths (Fiumara grande and Canale di Fiumicino) with a particular temporal focus on 1 ° post-pandemic year.
In the period investigated, the results confirmed the high number of macrolitter transported by the river, with an estimated density at the mouth equal to 1170±151 objects/km2; However, compared to previous years, a reduction in macrolitter was detected with a percentage increase in single-use macro-waste linked to both packaging and objects linked to the pandemic period. Furthermore, much of the waste reaches the sea already fragmented.

Further information

Tales of monitoring and river molluscs

On the occasion of World Wetlands Day 2025, the Participatory Science project "#teveremolluschifantastici...e dove trovarli"" is organizing an excursion on 1 February to the Nazzano Tevere-Farfa Regional Nature Reserve to talk about river ecology, freshwater molluscs and water monitoring with practical experiments. The project aims to increase awareness of river biodiversity and contribute to the conservation of inland water ecosystems, also by mapping the presence and distribution of molluscs, with a pilot project on the Tevere river; the data collected flows into the portal of the National Biodiversity Network.

Current and future impacts of climate change: new assessment and forecasting tools thanks to the EU Copernicus programme

Estimate the future availability of water resources and develop future projections of heat waves based on greenhouse gas emission scenarios, evaluate the risks of forest fires, predict the possible frequency of drought events and temperature and precipitation anomalies based on seasonal forecast. These are the objectives of the cooperation between national and regional bodies within the framework of the National Collaboration Program (NCP) with the European Center for Medium-Term Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) promoted by the European Union for the use of the tools of the Copernicus Service dedicated to climate change (C3S).

Environment and health: Research projects for sustainable development

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of ARTA Abruzzo, a study conference dedicated to the topic of environment and health will be held on Friday 24 January in Pescara, which will offer a space for discussion, open to all citizens, on ongoing initiatives and research to ensure a sustainable future, with particular attention to environmental protection and community well-being.

Presentation of the results of the participatory monitoring of the Aniene River

During the meeting, the results of the monitoring activities which involved citizens, students and experts will be illustrated, collecting data on the ecological and chemical state of the waters of the Aniene river.

Ispra will participate with a report on #teveremolluschifantastici…e dove trovarli, the project the participatory science project for water quality and the conservation of river biodiversity; the project included in the portal of the National Biodiversity Network, maps the presence and distribution of freshwater molluscs, both native and non-native, within the Tevere river basin.

New update of the ISPRA indicators database

More than 200 indicators from the ISPRA environmental indicators database have been updated, the objective is to promote greater environmental awareness and involve the scientific community, in particular that of environmental statistics and information, in the crucial environmental issues of our time.

The database of environmental indicators, organized into 39 environmental themes, with over 300 indicators (ISPRA core set), is the most complete collection of statistical data and information on the state of the environment in Italy created and managed by the Institute for the Protection and Environmental Research (ISPRA) in collaboration with regional agencies and autonomous provinces within the National System for Environmental Protection (SNPA).

The indicators, classified under Environmental Themes, are structured in sheets containing descriptive information (metadata) such as, for example, the objectives to be achieved, the assessment of the state, the trend and data represented with graphs, tables and maps.

States General of the World of Water Work

On 18 December 2024, Rome will host, at the Chamber of Deputies, the first edition of the States General of the World of Water Work, an event promoted by the University of Rome "Foro Italico". During the event, the aspects related to the application of safety measures in contexts where water is a key element will be analysed, in line with the regulations established by the Legislative Decree. 81/2008 and the recent Legislative Decree. 18/2023, which transposes the European Directive 2020/2184 on water safety in buildings. Furthermore, the States General propose themselves as a moment of cultural and social study, highlighting the central role of water in the diffusion of the culture of prevention and safety, as underlined by the recent approval of DDL S 1060, which introduces the teaching of water into school programmes. safety at work in the field of civic education.

Presentation of the book "Drought, scarcity and water crises - The contribution of research to support the definition of the water balance"

On 6 December, as part of the "Più Libri Più Liberi" event, at the CNR editions stand, there will be the presentation of the volume "Drought, scarcity and water crises - The contribution of research to support the definition of the water balance", published by CNR edizioni, to which ISPRA also contributed by drafting Chapter 1 "The hydrological balance, the availability of water resources and the water balance", the paragraph dedicated to the "Water balance and water stress" and the part relating to state of the climate.
The preface of the book is signed by ISPRA President Stefano Laporta.

Manta River Project 2 - Study for the evaluation of the quantities of microplastics in the Po

On 6 December, at the Veneto Regional Natural Park of the Po Delta, ADBPO in collaboration with Sapienza University of Rome and the Daphne Oceanographic Structure of ARPAE Emilia-Romagna will present the new data on the presence of microplastics in the Po.

XI Edition of the Study Days “Research and Application of Ecotoxicological Methodologies”

As usual, every 2 years starting from 2006, ISPRA promotes the Study Days "Research and application of ecotoxicological methodologies" with the collaboration and support of other public and private institutions. These days represent a meeting moment for the Italian scientific community, control bodies, private individuals and all those interested in ecotoxicological issues and their practical applications and regulatory evolution.

Conference expert Team “Water & Land” dell'IMPEL Network

The conference of the IMPEL Network expert team "Water & Land" will be held in Venice from 29 to 31 October.
The conference, co-organised by ISPRA, opened with speeches from the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security, the Director of ARPA Veneto and the Vice Rector of Ca' Foscari University. Various interventions, in person or online, also from the European Commission, in particular from DG Environment

Manta River Project 2, final event

The final event of the "Manta River Project 2" project will be held on Friday 25 October 2024, which involves the presentation of the results of the studies for the evaluation of the quantities of microplastics in the Po river.
The presentation of the project results is organized by Adbpo, Arpae Emilia-Romagna and Sapienza University of Rome.

A round table will follow to discuss and bring to attention the problem of microplastic pollution in river water bodies, in the presence of ISPRA, ISS, Legambiente, Federchimica PlasticsEurope Italia, and Corepla.

ISPRA joins WaterWiseEU

Communication campaign launched by the European Commission to spread awareness of water-related problems and possible solutions
According to ISPRA studies, a negative trend in the natural availability of water resources is observed in Italy.
Future scenarios outline a reduction in the volume of annual precipitation and an increase in average temperature. In 2022, our country reached an all-time low in annual water resource availability with 67 billion cubic meters of water, 50% less than the annual average for the period 1951-2023.
In 2023, the reduction in annual water resources compared to the same historical average was 18.4%. The deficit was more contained also due to the intense rainfall in May 2023 which caused the flood events in Emilia-Romagna.

Water Festival 2024

Utilitalia, the Federation of water, environment and energy companies, will organize the 2024 edition of the Water Festival in Florence from 24 to 26 September. The event will offer three days of reflections with political representatives, national and international sector experts, as well as events and demonstrations that will involve the city of Florence to reflect on the importance of this resource.

Second SNPA Conference. Dealing with water

Managing water in a changing climate

In conjunction with the anniversary of the 30 years of activity of the Environmental Protection Agencies, completing the path begun with the two preparatory conferences (Rimini November 2022 and Rome April 2023), the SNPA National Council has decided to hold the Second Conference National System for Environmental Protection (SNPA). The theme is that of water resources also seen from the perspective of climate change, in the framework of the ETE Expo (Earth Technology Expo) event which sees the Water Festival taking place within it.

Extreme events map in Italy by ISPRA

Floods, heat waves, droughts: the ISPRA extreme events map in Italy updated with information on 2023.

Presentation of the SNPA Report "The climate in Italy in 2023"

The presentation of the SNPA Report "The climate in Italy in 2023" will be held on July 11th. The Report illustrates the main elements that characterized the climate in 2023 and the variations in the climate in Italy in recent decades, also in the global and European climate context, and analyzes the average values ​​and trends of the main hydro-meteo-climatic variables and their values extremes. Furthermore, it provides insights into the climate at a national, regional and local scale, and into the most relevant and critical hydro-meteorological and meteo-marine aspects and events that occurred during the year.
The event also aims to underline the fruitful collaboration between the SNPA System and the other institutional, national and local subjects, who participated in the Report through the provision of their data and information.