News

Proposals for soil protection

World Soil Day is celebrated on 5 December, this year dedicated to the theme "Taking care of soils: measuring, monitoring, managing". The focus is on the importance of collecting accurate information and data to understand the characteristics of soils and support their sustainable management, topics particularly close to the soil activities of environmental agencies.

They are around us, among us... the Boar

The third meeting organized by the CAI speleological group with the TAM (Mountain Environment Protection) commission of the CAI of Rome will be held on 21 November.
With their increasing presence in cities, wild boars can create risky situations for humans and wildlife. Close encounters can lead to conflicts, especially in situations where animals feel threatened or are defending their young, not to mention the risks to road traffic

Together with Barbara Franzetti, ISPRA researcher, the topic of wild boars will be addressed, not only from the point of view of biology and behavior, but also of their growing adaptation to urban environments and the dangers this entails.

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.

What will be the GeoSciencesIR's contribution to strategies for addressing the environmental challenges of the future?

GeoSciencesIR will be the first national research infrastructure entirely dedicated to geology and will represent a "bridge" between the scientific community and those who work in the area on a daily basis. But what exactly will it contain? What will be the added value? What are the main themes and innovations?

Invasive alien species: state of knowledge and management interventions

The event is aimed at the scientific community, technicians of local authorities and protected areas, and university students.

The introductory interventions will be carried out by the competent regional sector, by ISPRA for its role in the fight against invasive species and by the Lombardy Region which, as lead partner of Life NatConnect 2030, will illustrate the contribution of the project in the Po basin area.

Discovering the ancient oaks of Cerquone. The species registered in the List of monumental trees of Italy

The National Biodiversity Network (NNB) of ISPRA, in collaboration with the Castelli Romani Regional Park Authority, is promoting a day open to the public on 23 November dedicated to visiting the old oaks (Quercus robur L., 1753) present in the woods of “Cerquone”: a naturalistic oasis rich in biodiversity located within the Castelli Romani Park.
The initiative is part of the National Tree Day and has the aim of promoting knowledge of the two arboreal specimens present in the territory registered and included in the list of monumental trees in Italy of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and of forests (Masaf). The list lists the specimens that stand out for their biological and ecological value, based on the age, size, morphology, rarity of the species or habitat for some animal species, but also for their importance from a historical-cultural point of view. and for their ability to characterize the landscape both in aesthetic and identity terms.

National Tree Day

The National Tree day, established by the Ministry of the Environment and recognized with art. 1 of Law 14 January 2013, n. 10, is celebrated every November 21st throughout Italy. The aim is to promote the care and valorisation of trees and to remember the essential role of forests and urban greenery for our ecosystem.
The National Biodiversity Network (NNB) of ISPRA, in collaboration with the Castelli Romani Regional Park Authority, is promoting a day open to the public on 23 November dedicated to visiting the old oaks (Quercus robur L., 1753) present in the woods of “Cerquone”: a naturalistic oasis rich in biodiversity located within the Castelli Romani Park.
The initiative is part of the National Tree Day and has the aim of promoting knowledge of the two arboreal specimens present in the territory registered and included in the list of monumental trees in Italy of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and of forests (Masaf). The list lists the specimens that stand out for their biological and ecological value, based on the age, size, morphology, rarity of the species or habitat for some animal species, but also for their importance from a historical-cultural point of view. and for their ability to characterize the landscape both in aesthetic and identity terms.

COP29 in Baku: A step forward in global climate transparency

ISPRA participates in the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), COP29, which is held this year in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 11 to 22 November 2024. ISPRA experts bring their contribution to the negotiations , offering technical-scientific support to the delegation of the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE) on a series of crucial topics in compliance with the commitments of the Paris Agreement and the prerogatives of the Institute which is the theme of Transparency. In particular, the definition of the new reporting for national greenhouse gas inventories, the information to be reported on policies and measures, and the expert review processes of the information transmitted, to be sent by 31 December 2024.

XIII edition of the Italy-China Week of Science, Technology and Innovation

On November 28th ISPRA will participate with a panel dedicated to the AQuaBios Project

The event takes place as part of the bilateral scientific and technological cooperation program between Italy and China. It is promoted by the Governments of the two countries through the Ministry of University and Research of the Italian Republic and the Ministry of Science and Technology of China.

Green and health are the future of our cities

On November 28th in Randazzo (Catania) a conference to talk about urban green management with particular attention to the changes introduced by the new public procurement code. There will be a dialogue between the institutions and those who work for the maintenance and creation of urban and extra-urban greenery, historic gardens, parks and landscape. The event is part of a series of events entitled "Green and health are the future of our cities" which started from Napoli, passing through Milano, Roma, Torino and Bari.

Technology to support the management of protected areas

On 4, 5 and 6 November, the activities of the PNRR DigitAP project "Monitoring of pressures acting on habitats using advanced sensors" began at the National Park of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise.

"Report the landslide" and the IdroGEO national platform for knowledge of the territory

The event, organized by ANCI, the Liguria Region and ISPRA, is an opportunity to discuss with the Municipalities on the prevention of hydrogeological risk. Knowledge and updating of information on landslides are fundamental to effective risk prevention and management policies. The use of ISPRA operational tools will be explored in depth to support risk mitigation policies, territorial planning, planning of soil protection interventions and infrastructure design, with the aim of increasing community resilience and awareness. of citizens on local risks.

Meetings on the E.I.A. Points of view on environmental impact assessment

Episode n.6 Meeting with Giuliana Galigari of SNAM
An example of how the V.I.A. that can affect daily life is the construction of the gas network and its supply. An interview with SNAM tells us about its activities and the peculiarities of the projects of the network that runs underground for thousands of km, like a vascular system that crosses the whole of Italy. There is talk of open-air and trenchless excavations, of archaeological finds shown to the population, of drones used for monitoring.

Nature map of Calabria region

As part of the work to create the Nature Map of Italy, the habitat map and the related ecological-environmental assessments for the Calabria region are now available on the ISPRA website.

With Calabria, the Nature Map has been completed on 17 Regions, reaching almost 80% of the national territory.
The map, at a scale of 1:25,000, includes 123 different habitat types.

The ISPRA documentary protagonist of the Allumiere event "Female geology. Female scientists on the move"

Saturday 30 November and Saturday 14 December 2024, MAK Museo di Allumiere
Two days dedicated to scientific reading geology for women | Scientists on the move
1st Reading | Mary Anning. An unusual life carved in stone
2nd Reading | Mary Anning. Strange creatures, those with gigantic bones from the Lyme coast.
During both events the ISPRA video documentary filmed during the scientific trekking organized on the occasion of the national mining day 2024 in the Allumiere Monti della Tolfa archaeological geomining park will be screened.

LIFE REEForest project: monitoring of grasslands in Cystoseira

At Punta Licosa, within the Santa Maria di Castellabate MPA (Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park), monitoring of the Cystoseira prairies was carried out from 4 to 8 November by ISPRA researchers. The intervention was carried out as part of WP4 of the LIFE REEForest project (Restoration of Cystoseira macroalgal FORESTs to enhance biodiversity along Mediterranean rocky REEFs), co-financed by the EU “LIFE21-NAT-IT REEForest/101074309”, aimed at restoration and habitat recovery in Cystoseira (Habitat 1170).

In particular, within the project, ISPRA carries out activities aimed at mapping the distribution and monitoring of the habitat in Cystoseira, processing high-quality images acquired using remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) and other monitoring techniques along the coasts of the Park National team of Cilento Vallo di Diana and Alburni.

The forgotten soil: challenges and opportunities for rural and forestry areas

The event aims to start a dialogue on the topic of the abandonment of marginal lands and the progressive expansion of forest areas. Our objective is to evaluate together with experts the socio-economic and environmental implications of this phenomenon and discuss possible innovative strategies for the sustainable management of territorial resources.

The PNRR activities for the digitalisation of parks begin with the study of the "rebel" habitats of the Pantelleria Island National Park

From 15 to 17 October at the Pantelleria Island National Park we talked about "rebel" habitats, i.e. those habitats that resist particular extreme ecological conditions, climate change and anthropic impact.

This was done by ISPRA researchers as part of the PNRR Project "DigitAP - Digitalization of Protected Areas", starting the floristic-vegetation data collection activities on the island.

The Pantelleria Island National Park represents an excellent example of a Mediterranean environment with species and habitats protected by the Habitats Directive and numerous endemic species, i.e. species present exclusively on the island, such as Limonium secundirameum, a small plant that grows only along the coasts of Lake Bagno dell'Acqua or Limonium cossyrensis, present only along the rocky coasts of the island

Brainstorm One Planet. One Water. One Health

The Forum One Health

The event is organized with the aim of offering participants a space for independent and international discussion and to encourage discussion on issues related to the effective introduction of a holistic approach to the resolution of complex problems. By recognizing the multiplicity and interconnection between the various dimensions of environmental and health problems, transdisciplinarity offers the advantage of crossing the boundaries that separate paradigms, rigid institutional norms and anachronistic disciplinary fences.

Presentation of the Report "L'Italia che ricicla"

This year "L'Italia che Ricicla" takes place in a context of intense regulatory ferment, both at community level, with the revision of the Framework Directive on waste, and at national level, where a revision of the Legislative Decree is expected. n. 152/2006. This represents a great opportunity to shift the focus of the sector from "waste management" to "product production", creating the conditions for creating markets for secondary raw materials that express value and that allow the principles of the circular economy to be implemented all over the world within an economic system that is aligned with the environmental benefits deriving from the re-introduction into production circuits of products derived from waste.

Antarctica, ISPRA participates in the 40th Italian research expedition

Among the over 140 researchers who have arrived on the most extreme continent, there is also the geologist Saverio Romeo of ISPRA, working until mid-December at the "Mario Zucchelli" Station. This is one of the two Italian research bases present in the area which, together with the Italian-French Concordia base, have been operating within the National Antarctic Research Program (Pnra) since 1985.

Water resources are decreasing in Italy: in 2023 annual water availability decreased by 18.4% compared to the average

Sicily Region with the least rainfall, Friuli Venezia Giulia the rainiest

The ISPRA Report "National hydrological balance: BIGBANG estimates and indicators on water resources" has been published

In 2023, the total annual precipitation relating to the national territory, with almost 924 mm, corresponding to approximately 280 billion cubic metres, recorded an increase of 28.5% compared to 2022, the year in which the peak was reached with approximately 719 mm. historic low from 1951 to today. However, compared with the average precipitation over the long period 1951-2023 (almost 950 mm), that of 2023 is slightly decreasing.

Why this increase compared to 2022? Mainly due to the high volume of rainfall in the month of May 2023, estimated at almost 163 mm, around 49 billion cubic metres, which was, at a national level, more than double what on average characterizes the same month (around 23 billion cubic meters in the long term).

This is what emerges from the assessments produced by ISPRA through the BIGBANG model which provides the national hydrological balance, the quantitative picture of the water resource and, more generally, the hydrological situation in 2023, reconstructing trends and differences compared to the long-term average values ​​of 1951 -2023 and the thirty-year climatological period 1991-2020.

BIGBANG estimates show that in 2023 the contribution to aquifer recharge in Italy was 53 billion cubic meters (corresponding to 19% of rainfall), compared to an annual average of 22.7% over the period 1951–2023. The amount of precipitation that was transformed into surface runoff - that is to say that it did not infiltrate or was not retained by the ground - is estimated at approximately 66 billion cubic metres, corresponding to 23.7% of the precipitation, compared at an average annual rate of just over 25% over the long term. The share of evapotranspiration reached 59.4% of precipitation, compared to the long-term annual average which amounts to approximately 52%. This was caused by the high temperatures, higher than the reference climatological averages, which also occurred in 2023

National hydrological balance: BIGBANG estimates and indicators on water resources. Update to 2023

Model BIGBANG

Terrestrial ecosystems and forest fires in Italy: fire season 2024

The wolf in Italy: latest news. From the risk of extinction to new conflicts

The CAI speleological group with the TAM (Mountain Environment Protection) commission of the CAI of Rome organizes a series of in-depth meetings on fauna and biodiversity.
The first meeting will be held on November 7th and will be dedicated to the wolf. Starting from the 1970s, the Italian wolf population went from the risk of extinction to the 3500 individuals estimated in the 2020-21 national survey. The project was a unique experience, coordinated by ISPRA with the contribution of a vast network of operators, including many volunteers belonging to associations such as the CAI. This increase in the species has affected all of Europe but in Italy the conservation and management of the wolf has been peculiar.

Second webinar "The implementation of the Marine Strategy Directive"

Non-indigenous species and the role of citizen science

The Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security and Federparchi, in collaboration with ISPRA, are organizing a series of 3 online meetings to disseminate the results of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD Directive 2008/56/EC) and future prospects.
The growing attention for the protection of the Sea, both by community and national institutions, requires moments of verification and in-depth analysis and it is important for protected natural areas to participate and share experiences.

Raw materials and geomaterials: critical issues and industrial applications

On 9 and 10 December 2024, the Workshop "Raw Materials and Geomaterials: critical issues and industrial applications" will be held in hybrid form, organized by the Italian Society of Mineralogy and Petrology (SIMP) and the national Group Georesources, Environment, Cultural Heritage (GABeC) in agreement and cooperation with the National Council of Geologists (CNG) and with the patronage of Assorisorse and SIMP.

The Nature Restoration Regulation: recovering river connectivity to improve land quality and adapt to climate change

The Po river basin district authority in collaboration with the CIRF is organizing the conference in Turin entitled "The Regulation on nature restoration: recovering river connectivity to improve the quality of the territory and adapt to climate change." During the meeting, the implementation process of the Nature Restoration Law will be discussed in depth, both in Europe and in Italy, with special attention to its river component. Emblematic examples of connectivity restoration from various European countries will be presented.

ISPRA participates in LIFE REEForest Project

The LIFE REEForest project (Restoration of Cystoseira macroalgal FORESTs to enhance biodiversity along Mediterranean rocky REEFs), co-financed by the EU “LIFE21-NAT-IT REEForest/101074309”, is aimed at restoration and recovery actions of the habitat in Cystoseira (Habitat 1170) .

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

Climalab and Meteolab 2024: focus om soil and climate

The 2024 edition of Climalab (Friday 8 November) and Meteolab (Saturday 9 November) at Forte di Bard will be dedicated to the theme of soil and climate. The study of the interactions between these two elements is fundamental to understanding the complex mechanisms that regulate our planet. The soil, in fact, is not just a simple support for vegetation, but a living and dynamic system that directly affects the climate; in turn, the climate contributes to shaping the evolution and characteristics of the soil.