Events and News

The project PNRR MER in the Italian Tv channel TG1

The Director General of ISPRA, Maria Siclari, was a guest this morning on TG1 to talk about the activities of the MER - Marine Ecosystem Restoration Project.

MER is the largest project on the sea as part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, which sees ISPRA as the implementing body and the Ministry for the Environment and Energy Security as the administration in charge of the 400 million Euro financing for 2022- 2026. The MER provides for interventions for the restoration and protection of the seabed and marine habitats, the strengthening of the national observation system of marine and coastal ecosystems and the mapping of coastal and marine habitats of conservation interest in Italian waters with the acquisition of a new naval oceanographic unit, equipped with highly technological equipment capable of probing the seabed up to 4000 m and very high resolution acoustic instrumentation.

Video

Alien species in our seas

The biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea is constantly evolving, colonized by range-expanding species that arrive through natural corridors, such as the Strait of Gibraltar, and by non-indigenous species or alien species that are introduced by anthropic activities or arrive through artificial corridors such as the Suez passage; some of these species can also be dangerous to human health as they are toxic for consumption or poisonous on contact.

In order to provide support to sea users for the recognition of new species potentially observable and fishable in our seas, including those dangerous to human health, a new booklet has been created, an updated version of the 2021 edition.

Any reports that will be sent to researchers will also contribute to monitoring the distribution and spread of these species in our waters.

Ministerial Conference of the G7 Science and Technology "Health and coastal resilience of the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean"

The ministerial conference of the G7 Science and Technology entitled "Health and coastal resilience of the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean" took place on 11 July in the spaces of the Tecnopolo of Bologna.
The event, organized by the Ministry of University and Research in concert with the European Commission as part of the Italian Presidency of the G7, turned the spotlight on the topic of health and resilience to extreme climate events in the coastal environments of the macro-region Mediterranean and Atlantic.

From marine plankton, microorganisms capable of degrading bioplastics

For the first time, thanks to the collaboration with the University of Pisa (Departments of Civil and Industrial Engineering and Biology), Aquarium-Costa Edutainment S.p.A, Azienda Servizi Ambientali ASA SpA of Livorno, Zhejiang Ocean University (ZJOU) and the joint Sino-Italian Laboratory ZJOU-ISPRA, it has been demonstrated that the microbiome associated with plankton, reared in the ISPRA laboratories, is able to metabolise plastics used in the marine environment, in a relatively short time and at ambient temperature. These encouraging results lead to new hypotheses for the biotechnological utilisation of marine plankton, particularly in the fight against bioplastic pollution and the transformation of contaminated marine matrices (bioremediation).

International Mediterranean Sea Day

The Mediterranean is a sea of ​​wonders, history, culture and beauty to be protected and enhanced: a heritage that is celebrated on 8 July through an International Day. With the PNRR's MER (Marine Ecosystem Restoration) project, ISPRA is building a laboratory to map, restore and protect one of the richest - and most fragile - marine ecosystems on our planet with the aim of safeguarding its biodiversity and handing it over to future generations .
The mapping of coastal habitats is already being developed thanks to the LiDAR sensor, one of the pillars on which this program is based which intends to trace the seabed on 7,500 km of coast, surveying over 70 seamounts and investigating remote and unknown areas.
Another highlight: the new oceanographic vessel, the result of joint work carried out thanks to the precious collaboration with the Navy, which will be able to carry out monitoring activities in deep waters.
To support monitoring activities, ISPRA is building the Mobile Oceanographic Research Unit (UMRO), a sentinel van, to monitor the state of the sea, the field of surface currents and measurement of the depth of the coastal seabed.
The strengthening of sea level measuring stations in the lagoons of Venice and Marano Grado is also underway to predict extreme events and support coastal risk management.
All data collected will be accessible through an information platform, allowing mitigation measures to be planned to address the challenges posed by climate change in the Mediterranean Sea

Objective 30x30 - Protect 30 percent of Italian seas by 2030

"Mare Caldo" the new report by Greenpeace Italia presented

The results of the report were presented this morning in Genoa, on board the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise, during the conference “Objective 30x30 - Protect 30 percent of Italian seas by 2030” organized as part of the “There is di mezzo il mare”, on the eve of International Mediterranean Sea Day which will take place on 8 July.

Sea Essence International Festival

Sea Essence International Festival, the international festival dedicated to the protection and valorization of the sea and its essence, will be held in Marciana Marina from 28 to 30 June.
This year's edition is dedicated to the theme of "Connections" in all its forms: cultural, environmental, economic and social.

The monk seal in the Tuscan Archipelago: past and present

As part of the "La natura al centro" Festival, a conference dedicated to the monk seal in the Tuscan Archipelago will be held on 27 June.
ISPRA researchers will illustrate the characteristics of this rare marine mammal, of which fewer than 700 specimens survive in the wild, which in recent years has returned to the waters of the Archipelago.

The evolution of Italian beaches in ISPRA monitoring of the coastal strip

The coastal structure in the updating of the ISPRA information layers dedicated to beaches

A fundamental element for the planning and management of coastlines is the knowledge of long-term coastal evolution, due to the action of the sea, anthropic activity and climate change. The Italian coastal strip plays a strategic role for the socio-economic development of the country.

The constant monitoring of the evolution of the natural and anthropic elements that determine the Italian coastal structure by ISPRA through the updating of the digitalisation and environmental characterization of the national coasts allows us to have a constantly updated picture of the Italian coastal system.

On 26 June during the event entitled "The evolution of Italian beaches in ISPRA monitoring of the coastal strip" the update of the information layers dedicated to beaches will be presented, an important step in understanding the evolution of the beach resource.

Press release and graphs

Programm

Sea and lakes: 95% of Italian bathing waters are excellent

The excellence of Italian bathing waters will also be confirmed in 2024. On the basis of the monitoring activities of the National Environmental Protection System, the classification of the stretches of coast used for bathing has been updated. The results show that 5,090 km of marine stretches (95.6% of the monitored coast) are included in the "excellent" quality class, the highest foreseen by the European classification system. If we also add the sections with a "good" classification (153 kilometres, equal to 2.9% of the total) we arrive at 98.5%. Furthermore, 32 km (0.6%) fall into the "sufficient" quality class, 44 km into "poor" quality (0.8%).

Strategy for the marine environment. Public consultation 2024

On 14 June 2024, in implementation of the art. 16 of Legislative Decree 190/2010, the public consultation has been opened for the update of the Environmental Assessment, the definition of Good Environmental Status (GES) and the definition of the Environmental Goals (Targets) of the Marine Strategy Directive (Directive 2008 /56/EC) referred to in articles. 8, 9 and 10 of Legislative Decree 190/2010, for each of the 11 Descriptors of the Marine Strategy, prepared by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security with the technical-scientific support of ISPRA, as well involving other central and local Administrations represented in the Technical Committee referred to in article 5 of Legislative Decree 190/2010.

I° Blue Economy Forum

Towards the development of the marine economy that safeguards biodiversity

As part of the European Life Sea.Net project, the first Legambiente Blue Economy Forum will be held in Rome on 13 June.

The Blue Economy fuels the green transition in Europe thanks to the development of industries and sectors linked to the oceans, seas and coasts. Sustainable fishing, renewable energy, but also aquaculture and tourism contribute to the objectives of the European Green Deal for an efficient and competitive economy that guarantees the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the protection of natural capital.

Survey on the promotion of marine sciences and our relationship with the sea

The European association EuroGOOS, which brings together 48 bodies that manage monitoring networks for the collection of data relating to the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of seas and oceans and of which ISPRA is also a member, has launched a survey to survey the various Ocean Literacy initiatives.

World Oceans Day: Know, Understand, Coexist

On the occasion of World Oceans Day (WOD) the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology organizes the event "World Oceans Day: Knowing, Understanding, Living"

The event will take place in Palermo, Rome and Lerici and will have a science and art format to guide participants in an experience capable of sparking connections with the natural environment, allowing them to learn more about the ocean and understand how to actively contribute to its conservation.

On 28 and 29 May the RAMOGEPol anti-pollution exercise took place off the coast of Viareggio

Organized by MASE as part of the RAMOGE agreement with France and the Principality of Monaco. Pollution in the sea will be simulated with natural substances; involved satellites, drones, air-naval vehicles.

The Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security has organized an international anti-pollution exercise called RAMOGEPol “Versiliana 2024” off the coast of May 28 and 29, as part of the RAMOGE agreement between Italy, France and the Principality of Monaco. of Viareggio, in close collaboration with the Ramoge Secretariat and the Coast Guard.

The goal is to test with organization, coordination and readiness to respond to pollution. For this reason, numerous national and international actors will be involved and the most advanced technologies and response means will be used: satellites, drones, ships, planes and helicopters specialized in anti-pollution activities, for a total of twenty-two means.

ISPRA at FORUM PA 2024: PNRR MER, DIGITAP and focus on environmental education

On 21 and 22 May ISPRA participates in FORUM PA, as part of two events organized in collaboration with MASE.
On May 21, ISPRA experts will present the PNRR MER and DIGITAP projects in the talk on the summary framework of the PNRR tools by MASE.
On May 22, ISPRA experts will present the Institute's initiatives aimed at schools and new generations in the talk "It depends from us: culture and awareness of environmental challenges"

The ISPRA/National Observatory for the Protection of the Sea convention has been signed to develop awareness activities related the Italian coasts and seas

The Director General of ISPRA Maria Siclari and the President of the National Observatory for the Protection of the Sea (ONTM APS) Roberto Minerdo have signed a Convention, lasting two years, with the aim of promoting technological research and raising awareness on theme of the defense of coasts, ecosystems and marine biodiversity, to enhance the Italian natural heritage and for the development of socioeconomic models in the New Blue Economy.

In particular, ISPRA as implementing body and within the PNRR MER - Marine Ecosystem Restoration Project, deals with the restoration and protection of the seabed and marine habitats, the integral mapping of the Italian coast, coastal habitats and deep habitats present in the seamounts of Italian marine waters, the strengthening of the observation networks of fixed monitoring stations, all this through the implementation of 37 overall interventions.

The Observatory is committed to disseminating, raising awareness and studying issues relating to New Blue Economy sectors, with particular reference to the areas of energy production (offshore wind and photovoltaic, geothermal energy...) and the development of coastal and cruise tourism and Green Defense for the implementation of the Nature Restoration Law in the community context.

Workshop PANACEA project

The workshop on the PANACEA Project - Posidonia monitoring Activities for the conservation of the NAtural Coastal Environment using Autonomous robots financed by the European Union will be held on 3 May in Pisa. The day is divided into three sections: relevance of Posidonia oceanica, monitoring and technological aspects for marine environmental monitoring.

New techniques for the 3D mapping of species and habitats of conservation interest and for the mapping of shipwrecks of historical interest

ISPRA and the Underwater Carabinieri of Rome and Messina are experimenting with new techniques for the 3D mapping of species and habitats of conservation interest and for the mapping of wrecks of historical interest. The experimentation, carried out as part of the Ma.Ro.Ma "Marine Remote Mapping" project, underway in the Capo Rizzuto Marine Protected Area, is aimed at developing new methodological protocols to support the monitoring of MPAs.

Reduce impacts on the coast. Erosion, storm surges, sea level rise, heat waves

The conference, organized by the Municipality of Rome, is the fourth appointment in a series of public meetings dedicated to consulting citizens on the proposed Climate Adaptation Strategy of Rome, the capital.

The measurement of sea level

Sea level in the era of climate change, the tools for its measurement, the evaluation of coastal erosion, subsidence and the risks for the Emilia-Romagna coast are the themes of the seminar "Mean sea level: impact on the territory", organized by Arpae.

The meeting presents a reflection on the latest technical-scientific studies carried out in Emilia-Romagna and the Northern Adriatic.

Wrecks, waste and biodiversity in the depths of the Mediterranean

The seabed has always fascinated man and until a few decades ago what lay beyond 50 meters was shrouded in mystery. Thanks to a series of new underwater technologies developed in recent decades, such as 3D mapping, it is possible to obtain detailed images of submerged wrecks. Observing what is at great depths allows us to study biodiversity hotspots, facilitating actions to restore marine habitats.

ISPRA at the Rome Science Festival

From 16 to 21 April 2024 the Rome Science Festival returns to the Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone with its 19th edition.

Mistakes and wonders is the theme of this edition, dedicated to the wonder that accompanies every discovery, the engine that pushes scientists to explore, ask questions and question consolidated knowledge, always going further. Wondering, even in the face of crises and problems, is the first step in seeking new answers and solutions, on a path not without missteps, failures and denials, errors.

ISPRA is the scientific partner of the event and promotes a series of initiatives.

Program

16 - 21 april 15:00 - 21:00

Mostra "Relitti, rifiuti e biodiversità nelle profondità del Mediterraneo"

16 - 21 april  15:00 - 21:00

Mostra "Meravigliosa natura, umani errori"

19 april  18:30

Che tempo farà? Incertezze nelle previsioni metereologiche

20 - 21 april 8:45 e 9:15

Le attività di ISPRA e la Tenuta Presidenziale di Castelporziano
Evento gratuito con prenotazione obbligatoria

20 - 21 april 11:00 - 15:30

Laboratorio "Mostra "Meravigliosa natura, umani errori"

21 april ore 11:00

Sottoterra nessuno può sentirti urlare

Pollution, an integrated sea-coast response

As part of an Agreement between MASE and ISPRA, an in-depth project was launched on the operational synergies deriving from the "MiTE Anti-pollution Plan" and national and local planning, which address the response methods, at sea and on the coast, in case of accidental pollution caused by spills of petroleum products and dangerous and noxious chemical substances (HNS).

Marine pollution caused by the dumping of wastes and other matter from ships and aircraft

ISPRA continues in the collaboration for the implementation of the London Convention and the 1996 Protocol on the prevention of marine pollution caused by the dumping of wastes and other matter.

Posidonia Friend

The municipality of San Vincenzo (LI) is also promoting a project this year on the theme of environment and sustainability which has Posidonia as its protagonist, a marine plant that is very present along the Tuscan coasts and of fundamental importance for the marine ecosystem.
The events will start on Friday 12 April with researchers from the ISPRA headquarters in Livorno who will hold a lesson dedicated to middle school students, and will end on 21 June with an evening open to all: the protagonist will always be Posidonia, a plant to get to know and protect

PNRR - MER Project. Environmental monitoring in aquaculture: an underwater wireless communication network in the Gulf of Follonica

11 APRIL – NATIONAL SEA DAY

An underwater wireless communication network for environmental monitoring in the Gulf of Follonica, one of the most important production centers for national aquaculture. It is the project that Ispra is carrying out as part of the PNRR's MER (Marine Ecosystem Restoration) plan. The activities of the project began last March 14th, financed with a budget of half a million euros which will allow the monitoring of approximately 3,000 hectares in the offshore fish and shellfish farming plants in the area between Livorno and Grosseto thanks to a sort of "neural network" submarine. A project applied for the first time in Italy and unique in the Mediterranean Sea.

Press release (ita)

3rd National Summit on the Economy of the Sea - Blue Forum

Investing in the Sea Economy

At the 3rd National Summit on the Economy of the Sea Blue Forum in Gaeta from 10 to 13 April 2024, National Sea Day will be celebrated.
Four days of work with all the stakeholders of the sea and national and European politics with the aim of sharing an Italian investment program for 2025-2027 on the Sea Economy, with its own Action Plan and providing contributions to the future Connected to the Sea and on the Blue Economy. Starting from the Sea Plan and the implementation proposals, the drafting of the 2024 Blue Paper will begin.

Sea robot - The challenges of marine exploration

The documentary in English "Sea robot - The challenges of marine exploration" is now also available on the website of EuroGOOS, an association of national government agencies, research bodies and private companies involved in oceanography within the intergovernmental Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), of which ISPRA is part. The documentary recounts the technological progress of recent decades applied to marine research. New technologies have revealed the splendor and richness of deep ecosystems, allowing researchers to acquire valuable data and information for the study of these environments. In addition to the extreme richness and beauty of nature, the images also show the signs of human activities: mysterious wrecks, archaeological finds and, unfortunately, waste and abandoned fishing gear

Initial seminar of the A.M.MI.R.ARE project

The launch of the project focused on the resilience of beaches in the western Mediterranean area, will be held in Pisa on Monday 25 and Tuesday 26 March at the Headquarters of the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, with the active involvement of the National Center for Characterization and Protection of the coast, marine climatology and operational oceanography of ISPRA.
The event aims to organize the project activities that have obtained funding from the INTERREG Italy-France Maritime programme.