News

World Soil Day: New Horizons

The conference “World Soil Day: New Horizons” is the national event in which researchers, companies, and public administrators will look to the future of this essential yet fragile resource. They will come together to explore in depth the many interactions between soil, human activities, and the environment, based on scientific evidence and good practices.

Four technical-thematic round tables are proposed: urban soils and city regeneration; waste management; land remediation and water in agricultural fields; and the production of natural textile fibers, all understood through the lens of sustainability and the circular economy.

Soil, in short, serves as the common thread linking everyday life to the major ecological, political, and land management challenges of our time.

Towards a new knowledge: integrated intelligence for the innovative management and protection of the State's assets

ISPRA Director General, Maria Siclari, participated today in a workshop organized by the Italian State Property Agency. The event provided an opportunity for experts from the institutional, academic, and business worlds to discuss the opportunities offered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital technologies for the management, enhancement, and protection of public real estate and environmental assets, with an eye to the future.

ISPRA researcher confirmed as chair of IMPEL

ISPRA is pleased to announce the re-election of Marco Falconi as chair of the IMPEL network (European Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law) for a new two-year term — an important institutional achievement that confirms the trust and appreciation expressed by the network’s member states.

The IMPEL General Assembly unanimously approved his candidacy on 2 December, with all 38 participating countries voting in favor, acknowledging the quality of the work carried out during his previous mandate and Italy’s decisive contribution to strengthening European cooperation on the implementation and enforcement of environmental legislation.

Italy reconfirmed in Category A of the IMO Council with the highest number of votes: a result of outstanding international significance

During the 34th Assembly of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), held in London from 24 November to Wednesday, 3 December, the voting for the election of the new members of the Organization’s Council for the current two-year term concluded on Friday, 28 November.

According to the Assembly’s rules, 169 out of 176 States were eligible to vote.

Italy achieved a result of exceptional significance, having been reconfirmed in Category A— which includes the ten States with the greatest interest in international maritime transport— with 155 votes, equal to about 91.7% of the total number of States eligible to vote.

Memorandum of understanding signed between ISPRA and Confcommercio

Support for businesses on sustainability, circular economy, and waste management

The President of ISPRA and SNPA, Stefano Laporta, and the Secretary General of Confcommercio, Marco Barbieri, have signed a three-year memorandum of understanding aimed at fostering collaboration on issues related to sustainability, ecological transition, circular economy, and corporate waste-management practices.

In particular, the collaboration will involve carrying out studies and research, conferences, training initiatives, and analyses of best practices, all intended to promote knowledge of the topics covered by this protocol and to ensure the provision of useful information for monitoring and reporting data.

Final Conference USEit project

USEit: Leveraging Operational Synergies for the Study and Integrated Management of Invasive Alien Species in Italy
Biological invasions today represent one of the greatest threats to global biodiversity, with negative impacts on human health and the economy of our country. The USEit project addresses this issue by initiating a collaborative process among various marine and terrestrial institutes of the National Research Council (CNR), aiming to enhance Italian research on invasive species and transform these environmental challenges into opportunities and new growth strategies.

From the sea to energy: With “Green Plasma,” ghost nets become a resource

At the Marche Polytechnic University, the results of the experiment carried out within the PNRR MER Project were presented

Ancona, 1 December 2025 – Ghost nets that no longer suffocate the seabed but instead generate energy: this is the new perspective opened by Green Plasma, the technology capable of treating up to 100 kg of non-recyclable marine plastic per day, transforming it into syngas, a hydrogen-rich combustible gas that can be used to generate electricity directly in ports and collection areas. The system, tested within the PNRR MER – Ghost Nets project using abandoned and recovered fishing nets, was presented in Ancona and offers an innovative solution for managing some of the most difficult marine waste to treat.

The technology was illustrated on Friday, 28 November, during the conference “Green Plasma for the disposal of ghost nets”, hosted at the Marche Polytechnic University and presented on the occasion of the “Mediterranean Day”, an annual event that draws attention to the fragility of the sea and the urgency of more sustainable solutions. The experiment was carried out by Fondazione Marevivo, Castalia, and CoNISMa, in collaboration with the Marche Polytechnic University and the company IRIS.

Every year, 12 million tonnes of plastic—the equivalent of a garbage truck dumped into the water every minute—end up in the oceans, causing irreversible damage to marine ecosystems. Fishing gear such as nets, ropes, traps, pots, and polystyrene boxes, lost or abandoned at sea, accumulate on the surface and seabed, where they do not degrade. According to ISPRA data, 86.5% of waste found in the marine environment is linked to fishing activities. For these highly degraded materials, no effective recycling chains exist other than landfill disposal.

Soil week 2025 in Sicily

This year’s #WorldSoilDay theme is “Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities”, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The celebration will focus on urban soils, the challenges posed by urbanization such as soil sealing, and how healthy soils can lead to more resilient cities through practices like urban agriculture, composting, and sustainable urban planning.

For the third year, Soil Week in Sicily will be dedicated to the scientist Bernardino Romano, who passed away on September 1, 2023.
A full professor of Territorial Planning and Urban Planning Techniques in the Department of Civil, Construction-Architecture and Environmental Engineering at the University of L’Aquila, and a member of the WWF scientific community, Romano in recent years had focused his research on land consumption and urban sprawl.

Calita Landslide: Experimental and Numerical Analysis for the Study of the Triggering Mechanism

ISPRA technologists, in collaboration with technicians from the Territorial Safety and Civil Protection Agency of the Emilia-Romagna Region and the River Po District Basin Authority, describe in this video the experience gained during the study of the Calita landslide (Reggio Emilia). The landslide covers an area of over 900,000 square meters and extends longitudinally for about 2 kilometers. The type of landslide movement is classified as “complex,” as it consists of a roto-translational rock slide that evolves into an earth flow.

During the study, results were produced regarding monitoring activities, as well as geological and geotechnical modeling, including laboratory tests carried out in the Institute’s facilities. The results of these studies were used to evaluate the triggering causes, kinematics, and propagation of the landslide movement. These insights are shared in this video

LIFE Sea Forest: Posidonia oceanica meadows as blue carbon reservoirs in the Mediterranean

Restored over 100 small meadow areas, planted more than 1,300 cuttings

The LIFE SeaForest project – Posidonia meadows as carbon sinks of the Mediterranean, launched in 2018 and concluding in December, and presented today at the Rome headquarters of ISPRA, aims to enhance the important role of Posidonia oceanica meadows as “Blue Carbon reservoirs” of the Mediterranean Sea. The project works to increase their capacity to capture and store CO₂, while countering erosion and degradation.

The project has made it possible to achieve significant results, including the development of a methodological protocol for quantifying the carbon dioxide sequestered by Posidonia oceanica, which represents a key step toward the future economic valorization of the ecosystem service of CO₂ absorption and immobilization

Soil monitoring

European perspectives compared with national and regional realities

On October 23, the European Parliament approved the European Soil Monitoring Directive (SMD) in its plenary session. With the adoption of the Directive, soil is finally receiving the attention it deserves, as it already does with water and air, because "Healthy and resilient soil is essential to ensuring safe and nutritious food and cleaner water for future generations."

On December 5, a review of knowledge and experience in monitoring soil quality, land use, and the remediation of contaminated sites at the national and regional levels will be held, and future perspectives will be discussed in light of the implementation of the new Directive.

Experts from ISPRA, ARPAV, the Veneto Region, and CREA will participate in the event, with presentations comparing European perspectives with the national and regional realities.

The Soil Monitoring and Resilience Directive has been published and approved by the European Parliament.

After a long and demanding preparation process, the European Parliament approved the Directive on Soil Monitoring and Resilience on October 23, which was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on November 26.

The Directive allows the beginning of the construction of a common framework for monitoring soil health in Europe, with the aim of improving soil resilience through sustainable management, combating soil consumption, and managing contaminated sites, with the ultimate goal of achieving a good level of soil health in the EU by 2050.

The Directive is based on the understanding that globally healthy soils are the foundation for the availability of 95% of the food we consume, host over 25% of the world’s biodiversity, and constitute the largest carbon reservoir on the planet. Increasing negative pressures are leading to the rapid degradation of soils, disregarding the fact that soil is a limited resource that requires recovery efforts. In the European Union, it is estimated that over 60% of soils are not in good condition.

At GEO the awareness campaign Let's Circulate

In the November 25 episode of GEO, Chiara Bolognini of ISPRA presented "Let's Circulate" a platform and communications campaign on the circular economy, focusing on food waste and waste sorting.

Facciamo Circolare, developed by ISPRA in collaboration with and with funding from MIMIT – the Ministry of Business and Made in Italy, is the result of the teamwork of a group of experts in scientific issues related to the macro-theme of the circular economy, communications experts, and representatives of consumer associations.

The goal is to foster "circular" awareness among citizens, businesses, and associations.

Webinar "GSEU" project

Geothermal Energy: Pan-European Characterization and Inventory; CRM Assessment and Management: Towards a European International Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Resource Management (ICE-SRM EU)

The specific objectives of the Geological Service for Europe Project are to develop harmonized pan-European data and information services across Europe, with particular focus on: critical raw materials; geothermal energy resources and subsurface storage capacity for sustainable energy carriers and CO₂ sequestration; groundwater dynamics and quality; geological and climate change information for coastal vulnerability assessment; and basic geological information.

National greenhouse gas emissions. Estimates for the third quarter of 2025: slightly up, but continuing to decline per unit of GDP.

For 2025, analyses indicate a slight increase in national greenhouse gas emissions: +0.3% compared to 2024, alongside GDP growth of 0.5%. This results in a 0.5% reduction in emission intensity (greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GDP) compared to the previous year.

The increase in emissions is mainly due to higher natural gas consumption for electricity generation (+2.5%), also linked to a reduction in hydropower production. As expected from the decarbonization strategy, there is a significant decrease in emissions related to coal consumption for energy production. Overall, emissions from energy production are estimated to increase by 1.2%.

Transport sector emissions are slightly declining (-0.5%), mainly due to reduced fuel consumption in maritime transport, while the decrease in diesel consumption for road transport is almost entirely offset by an increase in gasoline consumption.

For heating, a moderate increase in emissions is expected (+0.9%), once again due to greater use of natural gas. Industry also shows a slight increase (+0.3%) compared to the previous year.

In 2025, electricity demand (233,264 GWh) is lower than in the same period of 2024 (-1.2%) and was met 42.7% by Renewable Energy Sources, 42.2% by non-renewable sources, and the remaining 15.1% by net imports.

Regarding emissions from agriculture and waste management, no significant changes are expected compared to 2024.

Quarterly estimates of greenhouse gas emissions make it possible to regularly monitor the relationship between economic trends and environmental impact. Thanks to these measurements, it is possible to track the evolution of emissions over time and better understand the interconnections between the economy and the environment.

Quarterly report

National emissions inventory 

Urban Ecology: A Journal for Nature in the City

The issue of the magazine Ecologia Urbana is available online, which takes up and delves into the experience of two ISPRA researchers who, as part of the Path for Transversal Skills and Orientation (PCTO) promoted by the National Biodiversity Network, detected the presence of a rare mushroom, Rhodotus palmatus, within the Natural Monument of the "Fosso della Cecchignola" managed by the RomaNatura Agency.

The landscape and beauty of our city

On November 28, 2025, Randazzo (Catania) will host the final event of the year, the Passeggiata per l'Italia 2025 (Walk through Italy 2025), organized by Assoimpredia. The Randazzo event will once again focus on "Quality Design in Green and Environmental Works," with the participation of industry professionals and experts, representatives of institutions, industry, research, and environmental associations. The application of CAM (Project Management Methods) and Law 10/2013 will be discussed in depth.

Take care of the environment. Protect Creation

Today in Lamezia Terme, the meeting of the initiative "Green net for a Sustainable Jubilee" – "Take Care of the Environment. Protect Creation" was held. The event aimed to bring together science, culture, and faith to collectively renew the authentic meaning of caring for Creation, emphasizing beauty and responsibility towards future generations.

The event was attended by the Director General of ISPRA, Maria Siclari.

World Soil Day 2025

The World Soil Day is celebrated the 5th december, established by the 68th Session of the United Nations General Assembly to draw attention to the crucial importance of this vital resource. The theme chosen for the 2025 edition is "Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities," which emphasizes the essential link between soil quality and the well-being of urban populations.

Beneath asphalt, buildings, and roads lies soil that, when permeable and vegetated, helps absorb rainwater, regulate temperature, store carbon, and improve air quality. But when sealed with concrete, it loses these functions, making cities more vulnerable to flooding, global warming, and pollution.

Therefore, this day invites everyone, from politicians to citizens, to rethink urban spaces from the ground up, to build greener, more resilient, and healthier cities.

CARG Project: Italy’s 1:50,000 Cartography Continues to Evolve

A press conference dedicated to the official presentation of the Geological Sheets of Sciacca, Brescia, and Taranto—produced within the framework of the CARG Project, the Geological Map of Italy at a 1:50,000 scale coordinated by ISPRA—will take place on Friday, 21 November at the Senate of the Republic.

Report on alien species in Italy: status, legislation, and countermeasures

At the request of the Wildlife Hunting Technical Committee, ISPRA has produced an updated and concise national overview of the phenomenon of alien species in Italy, illustrating the state of knowledge, documented impacts, main routes of introduction, the current regulatory framework, and the countermeasures currently implemented.

Smart management of green spaces for resilient, sustainable, and livable cities

Green areas provide numerous ecosystem services that are essential for the quality of the urban environment and for the well-being of city residents, including the reduction of the urban heat island effect, the absorption of greenhouse gases and air pollutants, and the creation of opportunities for social interaction and physical activity.
The European Union, with Regulation 2024/1991 on nature restoration, has introduced specific measures for the restoration of urban green areas, requiring Member States to achieve zero net loss of urban green spaces at the national level between 2024 and 2030, and to progressively increase their extent from 2031 onwards, including through integration into buildings and infrastructure.
Technical and management solutions can help improve the maintenance and use of urban green spaces, reducing costs for public administrations, generating environmental benefits such as water savings, and supporting the active involvement of citizens in caring for their local areas.

Rome: stories of stones, quarries, and ingenious visionaries

As part of the "Scuola Aperta" project, promoted by the City of Rome, students from the "Via Santi Savarino" Comprehensive Institute have created an ecomuseum dedicated to the geological history of the area and the sense of belonging to places.
This innovative educational program enhances the relationship between nature, culture, and collective memory, demonstrating how geology can become a narrative, an identity, and an active citizenship.

Enhanced Transparency Framework in the whole of Paris agreement

ISPRA is participating in COP30, providing scientific support to Italian institutions in international climate negotiations and organizing, on November 20, at the Italian Pavilion “Made for Our Future,” the event “Strengthening the Enhanced Transparency Framework under the Paris Agreement”, dedicated to climate transparency within the Paris Agreement.

The initiative explores the strategic role of the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) in monitoring and reporting countries’ progress on climate action, featuring contributions from representatives of UNFCCC, ICAT, and ISPRA, as well as presentations of concrete examples of international cooperation, such as the Holy See and Cuba.

“The right place for the right tree.”

The central theme of the meeting will be an analysis of the challenges previously posed by EU regulations on arboriculture and, more recently, by the Climate Decree and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP). Even more importantly, it will address the challenges that will soon arise from the implementation of the Nature Restoration Law, the increasing occurrence of natural disturbances, and the growing awareness of the importance of trees and woodlands in Urban and Peri-urban Forests (as defined by the National Public Green Strategy, 2018).

These are proposals and activities already anticipated and clearly outlined in the National Forest Strategy and the Biodiversity Strategy, which the national nursery sector—both public and private—must take on in order to be prepared, in an innovative and sustainable way, for the massive future demand for young plants belonging to woody flora (particularly tree and shrub species, but also herbaceous species), both native and non-native. This is especially relevant given the past dismantling of public nurseries which, however, have survived locally through excellent initiatives that can serve as a starting point, as demonstrated by the recent success of the FOR.TREE NURSERY project, carried out by Fondazione Alberitaia ETS at the proposal of the CNR within the framework of the National Future Biodiversity Centre.

30 Years of AEWA: A Milestone of Cooperation for the Protection of Migratory Waterbirds

Three decades of joint efforts between countries, institutions, and the scientific community to protect waterbirds along the African-Eurasian flyway

The Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) turns 30. This international agreement, signed in 1995 in The Hague, aims to protect migratory waterbirds and their habitats along one of the planet's most important migratory flyways: the African-Eurasian flyway.

Over three decades of activity, AEWA has become a global reference point for international cooperation in biodiversity conservation. Today, it brings together 85 countries across Africa and Eurasia (including the European Union), committed to protecting over 550 populations of 255 species that depend on wetlands for part of their life cycle.

Cathedrals of Nature

First day dedicated to the “care of creation” through the promotion of “monumental trees” as part of the “National Tree Day”

On the occasion of the National Tree Day, the Committee for the Development of Public Green Spaces of the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE) and the Ministry of Agriculture are organizing a meeting dedicated to “monumental trees”, which stand as true “Cathedrals of Nature.” In fact, the Cultural Heritage and Landscape Code (Legislative Decree 42/2004) defines these trees, under Article 136, as “among the immovable things possessing outstanding characteristics of natural beauty.”

ISPRA at the China-Italy Science, Technology and Innovation Week

Boosting Innovation, Building a Sustainable Future Together

The 14th edition of the Italy-China Week of Science, Technology and Innovation opened today in Beijing, under the theme “Boosting Innovation, Building a Sustainable Future Together.” The initiative, in which ISPRA is participating, takes place alternately in Italy and China and continues to serve as a key event for the joint promotion of scientific research, technology transfer, and sustainable development. This edition also marks the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

MedJICARP: Kick-off Meeting in Heraklion for Climate Resilience in the Mediterranean

Two days of meetings and workshops at the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research to kick off international cooperation on oceanographic monitoring and climate change adaptation

Nature Restoration: A section dedicated to Regulation (EU) 2024/1991 has been published on the MASE portal.

The Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security is about to publish a new section on its portal dedicated to Regulation (EU) 2024/1991 on Nature Restoration, which entered into force on August 18, 2024. This section will provide a key overview of the binding EU-level targets and the national process undertaken to develop the National Restoration Plan (NRP), a key element for reversing biodiversity loss and strengthening climate resilience.

The development of the NRP, the draft of which must be submitted to the European Commission by 1 September 2026, is based on a robust interinstitutional coordination architecture.