Environment and Health, Sustainable development
Aerobiology is a relatively young science that studies the particles, living and non-living (bacteria, algae, fungi, pollen, viruses, spores of ferns and mosses, insects and other microfauna, particles and gases generated by natural and human activities) present in the atmosphere, the sources that produce them, the modes of transport in the air and the effects on the environment (indoor and outdoor) primarily on humans, but also on animals and plants. Aerobiology is therefore an interdisciplinary science and the aims of its studies are multiple, involving different fields of scientific and applicative interest ranging from human, animal and plant pathology, to entomology, allergology, palynology. In particular, aerobiology deals with the problems of atmospheric pollution in a complementary way to chemical and physical research.
Population exposure to outdoor air pollutants
The exposure of the population to pollutants present in the atmosphere in urban areas is estimated using a set of indicators, originally developed as part of the EU / WHO - ECOEHIS project. These indicators, developed annually with progressive refinement of methodologies and criteria, are intended to provide useful information for evaluating the effectiveness of current environmental policies for the reduction of atmospheric pollution, in relation to the protection of the health of the population. According to criteria adopted at EU level, the indicators are developed using annual average pollutant concentration values, coming mainly from urban and suburban background stations, chosen as proxy for the average exposure of the population.
GELSO
The GELSO project - Local management for sustainability - is an environmental information tool that proposes an integrated approach to sustainability starting from issues that represent key nodes for environmental policies on a local scale such as the circular economy, smart cities and climate change . GELSO aims to identify, evaluate and disseminate good sustainability practices implemented in Italy.
The indicator measures the impact of heat waves on the health of the elderly population aged 65 or over in the 27 Italian cities included in the "National plan for the prevention and warning of the health effects of heat waves" and equipped with a forecast and alarm system (HHWW - Heat Health Watch Warning). The National Plan is from the CCM (National Center for Disease Prevention and Control) of the Ministry of Health, and coordinated by the DEP Lazio (Department of Epidemiology of the Regional Health Service - Lazio Region). The summer of 2020 was almost in line with the climatic reference values and overall for the entire summer period (16 May-16 September) the mortality was slightly higher than the expected 5%. The monthly assessment of the impact on health showed increases in mortality associated with the heat wave in late July and in the second week of August in several cities.
Environmental Data Yearbook ISPRA
Indicators fact-sheet: Tourism, Environmental certification
Go to the dashboard City in transition 