Events and News

European Parliament Environment Committee approves Soil Monitoring and Resilience Directive

On 4 June, the European Parliament's Environment Committee voted on the provisional agreement reached between the Council and Parliament on the directive establishing a framework for monitoring soil health in Europe and for the definition in all Member States of a management system for monitoring, sampling, analysis and management of information and data flows. The aim is to improve soil resilience through sustainable soil management, combating land consumption and managing contaminated sites.

The proposal, which maintains the ambitious and non-binding objective of achieving healthy soils by 2050, will have to be voted on for final passage by the Parliament's Plenary.

Landslides: What we know and what we do to defend ourselves; what we should know and do to defend ourselves better

XLII Enivorment Day

On June 5, on the occasion of World Environment Day, the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei organizes the conference "Landslides: what we know and what we do to defend ourselves; what we should know and do to defend ourselves better". The aim of the meeting is to take stock of the knowledge and technological capabilities to recognize, map, monitor and predict landslides and their impacts; to evaluate the obstacles to a full application of the available knowledge and technologies; to identify and analyze the knowledge gaps and the technological and organizational needs; and to indicate possible research and technological development activities, as well as organizational and management ones, for a more effective risk reduction, in the context of ongoing and expected environmental, climatic, economic and social changes.

ISPRA participates in the Eighth Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2025) underway in Geneva

Taking place from 2 to 6 June 2025, in Geneva, Switzerland, the Eighth Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2025) is organized and convened by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR). The theme of GP2025 is “Every day matters, acting for resilience today”. The United Nations General Assembly recognizes the Global Platform as a global multi-stakeholder forum to review progress in the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. At the Platform, Governments, the United Nations system and all relevant stakeholders come together to share knowledge and discuss the latest developments and trends in disaster risk reduction, identify gaps and make recommendations to further accelerate the implementation of the Sendai Framework.

The GP2025 agenda will be guided by the Sendai Framework, in particular its objective, the four priorities for action and the seven global targets, as well as the key priorities identified in the mid-term review of the Sendai Framework, the GP2022 Co-Chairs' Synthesis and the Regional Platforms meetings held in 2024.

Potentially contaminated sites: ISPRA launches Rocks, the first software on intervention priorities

The conference will present the “Operational manual of national intervention priority criteria for potentially contaminated sites” which describes the national risk-based screening model, with related ROCKS application software, developed by ISPRA, to identify intervention priorities in potentially contaminated sites, in compliance with the requirements of article 199, paragraph 6, letter a) of Legislative Decree 152/06.

Urbe, volcanoes and mammoths: the metamorphoses of the ancient Appian Way

The Appia Antica, one of the most fascinating archaeological parks in the world, will be the narrative center of a trek led by university professors and researchers from ISPRA. The change in the landscape will be investigated with the help of zoology, geology and urban planning to account for the multiple perspectives from which the history of the Regina Viarum can be read.

On July 21, 2024, after a process lasting about 3 years, the Regina Viarum will be included in the places protected by UNESCO as a world heritage site. It joins the other 67 places recognized in Italy.

To celebrate this important recognition, ISPRA, as part of the NET European Night of Researchers project, will organize three scientific excursions led by researchers.

XVII National Mining Day

National Mining Day, the annual event dedicated to the valorization and promotion of mining tourism as a cultural heritage, celebrates its XVII edition this year, testifying to an ever-growing interest throughout Italy.

The initiative is promoted by REMI, ISPRA, in cooperatio with AIPAI, ANIM, ASSORISORSE, G&T, MASE and with the sponsorship of prestigious istitutions such as European Route of Industrial Heritage ERIH, Consiglio Nazionale dei Geologi CNG, EuroGeoSurveys EGS, and AMODO Alleanza per la Mobilità dolce

Also for this edition, the Day will take the form of a rich program of events distributed throughout the country, culminating in the creation of a "National Calendar" that will collect all the initiatives proposed by participating Sites, Museums and Mining Parks.

With IdroGEO you can know if the area where you live is at risk of landslides and floods

The IdroGEO platform allows the consultation, download and sharing of data, maps, reports, documents of the Inventory of Landslide Phenomena in Italy - IFFI, of the national maps of danger for landslides and floods and of the risk indicators. In the "Pericolosità a rischio" section, it is possible to view the levels of danger for landslides and floods on a map. The user can search for an address, geolocate themselves, query the data, create a report and verify the danger at a point of interest by viewing the perimeter of the geographical areas that could be affected by the flooding of a watercourse.

XXXII National Congress INU

The XXXII National Congress is intended as a decisive moment of discussion for the future of urban planning in Italy. The key theme will be the “Useful Plan”, a concept that recalls the urgency of rethinking urban planning tools in light of the concrete needs of communities and emerging global challenges.

From residual risk to acceptable risk: new perspectives in landslide risk management

On May 16, 2025, ISPRA is organizing, together with CNR, ARPA Lombardia, the Autonomous Region of Valle d'Aosta, the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, the Autonomous Province of Trento, the University of Milan Bicocca and the National Council of Geologists and Engineers, a conference on hydrogeological instability entitled "From residual risk to acceptable risk: new perspectives in landslide risk management".

Soil: an invisible and precious resource

In order to offer a contemporary look at the relationship between Man and Nature, Prof. David Grohmann and Eng. Andrea Margaritelli curate a series of meetings at the Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria, where researchers and professionals meet to analyze the problems and emergencies that concern the environment.

Second National Day for the prevention and mitigation of hydrogeological risk

The Second National Day of Prevention and Mitigation of Hydrogeological Risk will focus on the transformations of the territory and the increase in risk factors due to different causes, including climate change.
Particular attention will be paid to the planning tools, at national and local level, of works for the prevention and mitigation of hydrogeological risk as well as to the governance tools of intervention policies in this area

Territories in transformation

Presentation of the ISPRA Atlas 2025

The new edition of the ISPRA Atlas "Territories in transformation" is dedicated to the analysis of the state of the national territory, to the study of its most recent transformation dynamics and to their representation through a series of cartographic tables produced using mainly ISPRA-SNPA data and the Copernicus services for monitoring the territory through Earth observation.

The ISPRA Atlas 2025 “Territories in Transformation” was created with the aim of offering an increasingly wider audience a clear and intuitive product, which helps to know and understand the main transformations detected and underway in the territory, and which is able to support the definition of effective policies for the sustainable management of natural capital and the achievement of institutional objectives in the environmental field.

Atlas 2025. Territories in Transformation

Program

Photo gallery

Sinkholes and Underground Cavities in the Municipality of Ardea

Presentation of the first results of the research activities of the PNNR GeoSciences -IR - WP3.2 project

The project, led by ISPRA in collaboration with the University of Tuscia and the Association "Sotterranei di Roma", aims to carry out a census of underground cavities present in the urban subsoil, with the aim of mitigating the risk associated with sinkholes (sudden sinkholes on the surface).

“…also in the interest of future generations”. Historical sources for the knowledge of environmental risk

On Friday 9 May 2025, a conference will be held in the Conference Hall of the Central State Archives on the topic of historical sources for environmental risk, both those held in the Central State Archives and in other important research institutes. The event, whose title recalls art. 9 of the Constitution, which states that the Republic “protects the environment, biodiversity and ecosystems, also in the interest of future generations”, aims to be the first in a series of events dedicated to knowledge and protection of the environment.

Environment and climate

Environment and climate is the title of the fourth meeting organized by Roma Ricerca Roma. While land consumption in Rome continues to grow, the European Regulation 2024/1991 on Nature Restoration on the contrary establishes the protection of green “empty” residues, inside the built environment, to respond to increasingly pressing needs for climate adaptation, flood control and heat island reduction.

The Land is over. Uses, reuses and abuses of the soil

The Department of Political Sciences of the University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli" is organizing the conference on April 4th in Caserta "The Land is over. Uses, reuses and abuses of the soil".

Michele Munafò, Head of the Service for the National Environmental Information System of ISPRA, will participate at the conference.

6th 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 drafting projects consistent with the criteria established by current legislation (DPCM 27/09/2021) for their financing by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE).

Memorandum of Understanding between ISPRA and the Po River Basin Authority to deepen the hydrogeological knowledge of the territory

The President of ISPRA Stefano Laporta and the Secretary General of the Po River District Basin Authority Alessandro Bratti have signed a memorandum of understanding, lasting five years. The collaboration, aimed at deepening and experimenting with scientifically complex issues in the Po River district, also includes actions necessary for an effective use of resources and for the subsequent adoption of a shared strategy, within the scope of the respective institutional competences.

Second edition of the "Virtual Conference on Geoconservation"

The second edition of the "Virtual Conference on Geoconservation" is organized by the ProGEO South-Western Europe working group which includes Andorra, France, Italy, Portugal and Spain. The event is organized in collaboration with ISPRA, University La Sapienza of Rome and University of Perugia.

The conference will be held on 27-28-29 March and is online and free participation.

The geological cartography of Italy at 50,000 (CARG Project) continues to be renewed

The press conference entitled: The geological cartography of Italy at 50,000 (CARG Project) continues to be renewed - Presentation of the geological sheets "Castel del Piano" and "Mirandola".

Water: the priority of recovery and reuse

The Climate Adaptation Strategy of Rome Capital approved on 14 January 2025 identifies among the priorities the efficient management of water resources and the recovery, reuse and recycling of water as the essential measures to significantly and structurally reduce the consumption of drinking water.

The conference will examine the objectives and challenges to adapt the territory of Rome Capital and water management to a scenario of more frequent and intense climate change and drought and will explore the projects in the field and to be launched to enhance the advanced concept of recovery, reuse and recycling for all compatible uses.

Italian Geothermal Forum

The event promotes the debate on the state and prospects of geothermal energy, stimulating discussion between institutions, research, industry, professionals and territories. The development of this sector is strategic to accelerate the transition towards energy security and climate neutrality.

The program includes the holding of plenary sessions aimed at exploring current and future energy policy and market scenarios, on a national and European scale. The discussion will also have the participation of representatives of national and regional institutions.

EXA - Energy Exchange Australia

From 11 to 13 March EXA - Energy Exchange Australia will be held in Perth and ISPRA Department for the Geological Survey of Italy will participate at the invitation of the Italian Consulate in a series of bilateral meetings with government agencies such as the Geological Survey of Western Australia and companies. The aim is cooperation in the field of mineral research and georesources. The sharing of sustainability protocols in the mining sector, recycling and reuse of critical and strategic raw materials.

5th 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 as part of the activities envisaged by an agreement stipulated with the General Directorate General Directorate for Energy Incentives of MASE and 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 27/09/2021) for their financing by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE).

Presentation of the first results for the project FPCUP User Uptake of Copernicus Services for Landscape and Spatial Planning Stakeholders

On 27 February ISPRA will present the first results of the FPCUP project "User Uptake of Copernicus Services for Landscape and Spatial Planning Stakeholders".

The project is part of the work program of the FPCUP consortium - Framework Partnership Agreement for Copernicus User Uptake - started in 2018, coordinated by DLR (German Aerospace Center) with funding from the EC, and which includes 50 partners from 23 European countries.

The primary objective of FPCUP projects is to increase the number of Copernicus users and applications derived from Copernicus products and services based on user needs. Five European partners, CBK - Poland, IES – Latvia, DGT – Portugal, SRTI-BAS – Bulgaria, IHCantabria – Spain, are participating together with ISPRA in the “User Uptake of Copernicus Services for Landscape and Spatial Planning Stakeholders” project.

Program

Knowledge the territory - Cartoon Geosciences IR

Knowledge the territory is essential to develop good land management practices, reduce risks, consciously manage natural resources, guarantee the safety of citizens. This knowledge is developed thanks to the most advanced technologies that allow the acquisition of highly detailed data on the earth's surface and underground and the construction of three-dimensional (3D) geological models.

What are they, how are they built, why are 3D geological models of the subsurface so important and where can we find them?
The videos answer these questions, illustrating in a simple way how underground geological and geophysical data are collected, analyzed and processed, how the software that allows geologists to build 3D geological models work, why they are so important for technicians, decision-makers and citizens, and how the GeoSciences IR infrastructure and its Geo-IT3D node allow the retrieval of geological and geothematic data in open format.

Watch the video (ita)

New web site Copernicus-Italia.it

The new web site www.copernicus-italia.it dedicated to national activities in the context of the developments of the European Copernicus Earth Observation Program is online, providing complete, free and open access to data and information deriving from the integration of satellite data with in situ data and forecast models.

The new CARG Geological Sheets: Arezzo, Bibbiena, Castel del Piano, Poggibonsi

On 12 February, the Tuscany Region and the ISPRA Geological Service are organizing the conference "The new CARG Geological Sheets: Arezzo, Bibbiena, Castel del Piano, Poggibonsi" in Florence.
The conference is organized in collaboration with the Universities of Tuscany and the CNR and is APC accredited for geologists registered with the Order of Geologists of Tuscany.

4th 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).

Contaminated Sites. Experience in rehabilitation interventions

The XVI Edition of the SiCon Workshop “Contaminated Sites. Experiences in rehabilitation interventions” will take place in Brescia on 12, 13 and 14 February 2025 at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Brescia. The SiCon is organized by the Sanitary-Environmental Engineering groups of the University of Brescia, the University of Catania and SAPIENZA University of Rome, in collaboration with ANDIS (National Association of Sanitary-Environmental Engineering), the GITISA (Italian Group of Sanitary-Environmental Engineering) and the CSISA Onlus (Study Center for Sanitary-Environmental Engineering) of Catania.