News

"Exe Flegrei 2024" ISPRA participates in the national exercise on volcanic risk

From 9 to 12 October, "Exe Flegrei 2024" will take place in Campania, the national exercise on volcanic risk organized by the Department of Civil Protection and the Campania Region, in collaboration with the Municipalities of the red zone, the Prefecture of Naples, the operational structures and competence centers of the Department.

ISPRA participates in the CIRAN Project

Is there a sustainable mining activity? A lot of work is being done in Europe to make this possible and ISPRA has also been participating in this effort since 2023 with the CIRAN project (CrItical RAw materials extraction in enviroNmentally protected areas - HORIZON-CL4-2022-RESILIENCE-01-03).

Coordinated by INTRAW (International Raw Materials Observatory) in collaboration with the European Geological Services, CIRAN is working to find solutions between low impact environmental alternatives, sustainability strategies and social acceptability in order to identify protocols and guidelines that make the cultivation of those rare and strategic materials indispensable for Europe to complete the energy transition and to deal with the supply problems resulting from the current geopolitical situation.

Mining landscapes of medieval Italy

In the first part of the conference, starting from the Tuscan case, the Italian regional frameworks relating to the study of the exploitation of mineral resources in the Middle Ages will be presented and discussed.
The second part of the conference will be dedicated, however, to a comparison of the best strategies for the protection and valorisation of Tuscan mining landscapes.

Publication of RETICULA n. 36/2024

Special Issue - Ecological networks in Italy: new experiences and perspectives from national to local level

The number 36 of RETICULA technical journal is now available online.
This issue marks the beginning of the updating of the APAT Guidelines for the Management of functional ecological connection areas (2003), an activity introduced and described in the editorials by the Director of the General Directorate for the Protection of Biodiversity and the Sea of MASE, Francesco Tomas, and the Director of the Department for the Monitoring and Protection of the Environment and for the Conservation of Biodiversity of ISPRA, Luigi Ricci. 

ISPRA and SNPA President awarded at the Pianeta Mare Film Festival for his commitment of sea protection

The award ceremony of the President of ISPRA and SNPA Stefano Laporta was held on 8 October in Naples as part of the Pianeta Mare Film Festival event.
"I would like to share this award with my colleagues from ISPRA and the National System for Environmental Protection, who are the beating heart of our activities" declared the ISPRA President.
"It is a particularly welcome award because, having been born in a seaside city like Lecce, I feel the marine environment is mine and represents for me the very essence of life, but also because I receive it in an equally splendid city linked to the sea which it's Naples" said Laporta.
"The Pianeta Mare International Film Festival of Naples is an initiative that makes interaction with the young generations its standard-bearer, and in doing so uses different communication channels and different artistic forms, decisive for carrying forward the theme of the defense of sea ​​and our coasts" concluded the President.

International Day for Natural Disaster Risk Reduction

The International Day for Natural Disaster Risk Reduction, known worldwide as the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, is celebrated on October 13.
The day was born at the behest of the United Nations General Assembly in 1989.
The objective of establishing this day is to send an important signal to the Governments of all the countries of the world as well as to international organizations and the global population, to reflect on the increasing frequency and consistency with which natural disasters occur.

Among the institutional tasks of ISPRA there is the collection, processing and dissemination of maps and data on hydrogeological instability referring to the entire national territory, making them available to the country for risk prevention and mitigation.
In particular, ISPRA in collaboration with the Regions and Autonomous Provinces, creates the Inventory of Landslide Phenomena in Italy, in which, to date, over 634,000 landslides have been recorded, representing 2/3 of those in Europe.

DigitAP Project: At the school of the "rebel" habitats of the Pantelleria Park

On 15 and 17 October the Pantelleria Park will be an open-air laboratory for students from the island's schools. Students will be able to participate in field activities organized as part of the Digitalization of National Parks and Marine Protected Areas project - DiIgitAP - of the specific measure of the PNRR "Ecological transition and green revolution" owned by the Ministry of Environment and Security Energy

Photo contest "Land consumption in Italy 2024"

A shot to tell the story of the change

On the occasion of the presentation of the 2024 edition of the report "Land consumption, territorial dynamics and ecosystem services" ISPRA wants to involve professionals and amateurs from the world of landscape photography and street photography to witness the effect of land consumption on the territory, of such as new construction sites, buildings, new infrastructures and industrial warehouses, logistics and large-scale retail trade, have changed and continue to profoundly change the layout of the landscape.

Thirty years since the 1994 Piemonte flood: a look at the past, the present, the future

On the night between 5 and 6 November 1994, a terrible flood hit the provinces of Cuneo, Asti and Alessandria, on the Tanaro, and the area of ​​Vercelli on the Po. Following this event, an important research activity was started in Piedmont between public bodies responsible for land management, the academic world and professionals to define guidelines for geological studies and to produce rules for the prevention of geo-hydrological risk. The conference is organized by the Department of Earth Sciences of the University of Turin, by ARPA Piemonte, by the Italian Society of Environmental Geology (SIGEA) -APS, by CNR IRPI of Turin and by the Regional Order of Geologists of Pemontet and will see the contribution from the Piemonte Region, ISPRA and the Po River Basin Authority with the patronage of the CNG and the various local administrations.

The Hydrographic Units in support of the PNRR-MER projects

In the field of marine protection of the seabed and the restoration of maritime and coastal ecosystems, the Navy has always been a protagonist and continues to demonstrate great presence and commitment. With the new collaboration agreement signed between the Italian Navy (MMI) - Istituto Idrografico della Marina (IIM) and ISPRA, a massive large-scale bathymetric mapping intervention is now underway along the entire Italian coasts. There are many objectives pursued within the project.
Among the most ambitious are the mapping and monitoring of coastal habitats, the updating of the national tide gauge network and the creation of a national network of offshore buoys for the observation of wave motion and marine currents, the restoration of Posidonia meadows oceanica and the use of innovative topographic and bathymetric mapping systems capable of reducing acquisition times and therefore creating new study and work opportunities.

Mining activities in the Mediterranean basin: State of the Art

The Sardegna Mining Association, in collaboration with the Order of Engineers of the Province of Cagliari, the Order of Geologists of Sardegna and the Order of Industrial Experts of Cagliari, is organizing the symposium "Mining activities in the Mediterranean basin: State of the Art". The new European legislation on critical raw materials, recently implemented by the Italian government and parliament.

Sinkholes and Underground Cavities in the municipality of Ardea

The project, led by ISPRA in collaboration with the University of Tuscia and the “Sotterranei di Roma” Association, aims to carry out a census of the underground cavities present in the urban subsoil, with the aim of mitigating the risk associated to sinkholes (sudden chasms on the surface).
During the meeting, the details of the activities already started were illustrated, including investigations in the area and collaborations with local associations and scholars in the sector.

Tor Caldara Regional Nature Reserve. Geodiversity, biodiversity and history

The reportage on the Tor Caldara Nature Reserve created by ISPRA highlights the relationship between geodiversity and biodiversity. Minerals, rocks, fossils, soils, sediments, landforms, as well as the geological and morphogenetic processes that occur on Earth and the hydrological elements that characterize it, such as rivers and lakes, constitute in fact not only the characterizing elements of landscapes, but also the basis on which biodiversity can thrive.

Kick off meeting of the MONALISA project

The Kick off meeting of the MONALISA project against land degradation and desertification will be held on 1 October in Sassari, led by the Desertification Research Unit of the University of Sassari.
The project MONALISA - MONitoring and Assessing prevention and restoration soLutIons to combat deSertificAtion s financed by the Horizon Europe program (MISS-2023-SOIL-01-04) with approximately 7.4 million euros and involves a large international consortium made up of 20 partners, 2 associated partners and 1 affiliated entity, coming from 9 EU and non-EU countries: Italy, Spain, France, Denmark, Greece, Romania, Switzerland, Tunisia and Palestine.

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.

Conference "A change in the water: the fate of seas and oceans under climate and pollution"

ISPRA is participating at the conference "A change in the water: the fate of seas and oceans under climate and pollution" that will be held in Paris. In this occasion ISPRA will present the project PNRR MER and two exhibitions “20,000 nets under the sea” and “Carrie, a brave turtle in a changing world” will be set up. The topics addressed are the impact of plastics and microplastics on the marine environment.

3rd 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 the drafting of projects consistent with the criteria established by current legislation (DPCM 09/27/2021) for their financing by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE).

Planet Earth Festival

Natural communities

For the third year Lucca is the theater of the Planet Earth Festival, directed by Stefano Mancuso, conceived, designed and organized by Editori Laterza.
With over 90 meetings and more than 100 guests - scientists, anthropologists, philosophers, economists, writers, artists and innovators - the event takes place from Thursday 3 to Sunday 6 October 2024, in some of the most evocative places in the city.
For the second year ISPRA has granted its patronage and participates in the event with 2 interactive lessons held by our researchers.

Energy efficiency and decarbonisation: in Italy the energy requirement per unit of GDP reduced by 23.4% since 2005

Energy efficiency and decarbonisation: in Italy the energy requirement per unit of GDP reduced by 23.4% since 2005

The ISPRA Report “Efficiency and decarbonization indicators in Italy and in the biggest European countries” 2024 Edition is online
The energy and economic efficiency and progressive decarbonisation of the national economy are growing from 2005 to 2022. In Italy, the energy requirement per unit of GDP is reduced by 23.4%, while greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GDP are decreasing reduce by 32%. Similarly, greenhouse gas emissions per unit of energy consumed in all the main production sectors have decreased since 2005: -7.8% for agriculture, -10.4% for industry and -22.6% for services.

On the renewable sources front, Italy is second only to Sweden among the main European countries, in terms of share of gross domestic consumption of energy from renewable sources. The national share of renewable energy compared to gross domestic consumption is equal to 19% in 2022, while the European average is equal to 18.4%. On the other hand, the objective of renewable sources, calculated on final consumption, sees Italy at 19.1% compared to the European average of 23%.

This is what emerges from the energy and economic indicators in relation to greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption in the 2024 edition of the ISPRA Report "Efficiency and decarbonization indicators in Italy and in the biggest European countries", available online.

New Study Investigates Spatial Risk Exposure of Floating Marine Litter to Cetaceans and Sea Turtles

Marine debris has become a constant threat to marine species, with ingestion or entanglement being among the main threath for cetaceans and sea turtles. Understanding promptly where and when this threat is most severe is essential for identifying priorities and focusing conservation and mitigation efforts.

Workshop POLLnet 2024

An in-depth day on important topics in the aerobiology field will be held on November 21st. Speakers from Italian and foreign universities and research centers and environmental protection agencies will discuss the quality and valorisation of aerobiological data. We will talk, among other things, about innovation in aerobiological monitoring based on real-time technologies and the allergenic potential of urban greenery.

Online the Atlas of Environmental Data. Edition 2024

Green and health are the future of our cities

On 27 September in Livorno, at the Maremma and Tirreno Chamber of Commerce, the management of urban green will be analyzed 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 Milan, Rome and Turin, and will continue in the coming months in Puglia and Sicily.

COPERNICUS4SNPA conference

The COPERNICUS4SNPA conference is scheduled for 10 and 11 October 2024 in Cagliari for the promotion and support in the knowledge, dissemination and use of monitoring methods and products from the Copernicus satellite (the European Earth Observation programme).

World Geodiversity Day

Excursion to discover the geology and geodiversity of Monte Vettore
The third "World Geodiversity Day" will be celebrated on Sunday 6 October, proclaimed by UNESCO in 2021. Geodiversity is also considered the "silent partner of biodiversity" as it is the set of geological-geomorphological characteristics and phenomena that accompany and sometimes, they influence the development of life on earth. Geodiversity Day is a global celebration aimed at promoting its many aspects and importance for society.

ISPRA program of environmental and sustainability education initiatives for schools for year 2024/2025

The "ISPRA program of environmental and sustainability education initiatives" aimed at schools for the year 2024/2025 is online. .

This year's educational offer includes 27 projects, distributed in the various territorial offices of ISPRA (Rome, Chioggia, Livorno, Palermo, Ozzano), each with a preferential scholastic target.
In addition to the initiatives there will be also the multimedia educational path "Passeggiando nell'ambiente", which can be used online on the Digital Education web platform.

Riverine floating macrolitter: the ISPRA national monitoring program for the Marine Strategy

On the occasion of World Rivers Day on 22 September 2024, ISPRA publishes the booklet Riverine floating macrolitter: the Italian national monitoring programme within the Marine Strategy carried out as part of the Operational Agreement for monitoring programs for the Marine Strategy between MASE and ISPRA.

Environmental crimes

The topic of "environmental crimes" will be addressed during a conference organized by the University of Naples "Parthenope" in collaboration with the Regional Environmental Protection Agency of Campania (Arpac) and the Italian Biologists Foundation (Fib).
The event will provide the opportunity to delve into current issues such as the fight against eco-crimes, the "weight" of environmental violations (ecomafias), the management of landfills and reclamation, the relationships between organized crime and businesses, the eco-crime of the Sarno river and other topics.

Floods and hydrogeological instability: ISPRA's activities

Flood in Emilia Romagna

The rainfall in Emilia Romagna began on the morning of September 17th, continued uninterruptedly throughout the day of the 18th and, albeit with a progressive attenuation of its intensity, is also affecting the area today, September 19th.

The quantities of cumulative rainfall in the first 48 hours of the event were particularly intense, with cumulative values ​​between 150 and 300 mm. In this regard, we are publishing two maps of the cumulative rainfall in the first 48 hours of the event in Emilia-Romagna and the one with the cumulative rainfall in the regional river basins ( Date ARPAE Emilia-Romagna)

Among the institutional tasks of ISPRA is the collection, processing and dissemination of maps and data on hydrogeological instability referring to the entire national territory, making them available to the country for risk prevention and mitigation.

In particular, ISPRA in collaboration with the Regions and Autonomous Provinces, creates the Inventory of Landslide Phenomena in Italy, in which, to date, over 634,000 landslides have been recorded, representing 2/3 of those in Europe.

The Institute prepares the national mosaics of the danger for landslides and floods, based on the Hydrogeological Structure Plans (PAI) and the Flood Risk Management Plans (PGRA), drawn up by the District Basin Authorities. The areas at risk from landslides include, in addition to landslides that have already occurred, also the areas of possible evolution of the phenomena and the areas potentially susceptible to new landslide phenomena.

Every three years ISPRA publishes the Report on hydrogeological instability in Italy which constitutes the official reference framework on the hydrogeological hazard and risk for our country.

94% of Italian municipalities are at risk from landslides, floods or coastal erosion, 1.3 million inhabitants are at risk of landslides and 6.8 million inhabitants at risk of floods (ISPRA Report, 2021). We are working on the 2024 edition which will be published early next year.

All data is published on the national IdroGEO platform, an easy tool to use, even with smartphones, to promote greater awareness of the risks affecting one's territory and informed decisions on where to buy one's home or locate new economic activities.

Ecomondo 2024

Ecomondo, the leading annual fair in the green and circular economy sectors, is the meeting and dialogue point between industries, stakeholders, policy makers, opinion leaders, local authorities, the world of research and institutions

It is the reference international event in Europe and the Mediterranean basin for technologies, services and industrial solutions in the green and circular economy sectors.

Research and innovation hub offers information, sharing and co-planning on the policies of the European Green Deal thanks to the creation of public-private partnerships used in national, European and international planning.