Events and News

Final event Life CONCEPTU MARIS

The final event of Life CONCEPTU MARIS (In Defense of the Giants of the Mediterranean - Life Conceptu Maris), consisting of two days—one technical and one informative—will present the main results achieved in four years of activity.

The first day, scheduled for November 25th, will be open to the technical and scientific community, members of the maritime sector Advisory Board, and the network of related projects formed during CONCEPTU MARIS. The event will share and discuss the results of monitoring activities conducted along 17 routes in the Western Mediterranean and the Adriatic Region, with the collaboration of seven shipping companies and eleven partners from Spain, France, and Italy. Together, they will build a bridge to the project's future.

Trees in the urban environment: new scenarios and old critical issues”

A deeper look in light of EU Regulation 2024/1991
National Tree Day

The European Regulation on nature restoration, particularly in Article 8, addresses the issue of improving urban ecosystems, requiring Member States to ensure that, by 2030, no national area of urban green space is lost and emphasizing the need to preserve and increase urban tree cover. Important challenges are therefore posed for green infrastructure in urban ecosystems—challenges for which Italy is not entirely unprepared, as the last decade has seen the consolidation of a regulatory and strategic framework that has increased awareness among technicians and administrators of the environmental and social role of trees and green spaces in cities, as well as the importance of their proper planning and management. Nevertheless, it is clear that efforts must be accelerated, with greater focus on expanding green and blue areas to create cities that are more inclusive, livable, and resilient to the impacts of climate change.

National Tree Day

National Tree Day, established by the Ministry of the Environment and recognized by Article 1 of Law No. 10 of January 14, 2013, is celebrated every November 21st throughout Italy. Its aim is to promote the care and appreciation of trees and to remember the essential role of forests and urban greenery in our ecosystem.
Every tree supports life on the planet, providing shelter, food, water, wood, fiber, medicine, gum, and resin.

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.

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.

Toward the 2025 National Tree Day

On the occasion of National Tree Day, which will be held on November 21, 2025, the University of Salerno is organizing an event titled "Toward the 2025 National Tree Day", scheduled for Thursday, November 13.

The initiative, promoted in collaboration with the Committee for the Development of Public Green Spaces (CSVP) of the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security, aims not only to promote the care of trees—recognizing the essential role of forests and urban greenery in the ecosystem—but also, in particular, to foster dialogue with local communities on future prospects, as well as on the experiences gained by the Regions in the census and enhancement of monumental trees.

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.

Implementing the Nature Restoration Regulation: Legal Challenges and Opportunities

The conference will bring together experts at national and European levels to analyze the new Nature Restoration Regulation (EU) 2024/1991 and the ambitious and comprehensive habitat and ecosystem restoration obligations it introduces. The program includes roundtable discussions on public participation, agricultural biodiversity, restoration financing, and synergies with other areas of EU environmental policy, such as climate change.

The role of the Presidential Estate of Castelporziano in the study and conservation of animal diversity

The event aims to create an opportunity for numerous researchers who, both in the past and in recent years, have carried out wildlife research on the Estate to meet and discuss the current state of knowledge. This will foster potential collaborations and future projects for wildlife conservation and the enhancement of the Estate.

ISPRA participates in the Life PolliNetWork project

The project's goal is to create a network of ecological corridors, transforming roads, railways, and industrial areas into "Buzz Lines," veritable green highways where bees and butterflies can safely feed and reproduce. By 2030, 88 hectares of natural habitats will be restored in 11 Italian regions, from Sardinia to Piedmont. The project also includes scientific monitoring, educational activities, and citizen science sessions to engage residents, schools, and farmers. The goal is to increase the number of pollinator species by up to 30% over the next five years. Italy, home to one of Europe's richest pollinator communities, thus aims to become a European model of conservation, contributing to the National Biodiversity Strategy and the new European Regulation on nature restoration.

The conservation challenge to reverse biodiversity loss: the role of protected areas and natural resource management

Biodiversity is facing an unprecedented crisis, threatening ecosystems and our very survival, and action is urgent. Protected areas are an essential bulwark for reversing the decline of species, but they are not enough. Conservation efforts must be intensified, integrating protection, restoration, and sustainable management. There is no more time to waste: the future of nature depends on the choices we make today, and each of us can contribute to securing the planet.

Presentation of the Europe's Environment 2025 Report, the State of the Environment Report, and the SNPA Environment Report

On October 28, 2025, in the Sala della Regina of Palazzo Montecitorio in Rome, a national event will be held to jointly present three major reports on the state of the environment: Europe's Environment 2025 (European Environment Agency), State of the Environment in Italy 2025: Indicators and Analysis (ISPRA), and the SNPA Environment Report 2025 (National System for Environmental Protection).

The event will offer an integrated and up-to-date overview of key environmental dynamics, from the European, national, regional, and autonomous provinces perspectives.

The three reports present data, indicators, and analyses that enable us to understand current trends, identify emerging critical issues, and understand the responses adopted in different contexts.

These are essential tools for providing the scientific community, institutions, and citizens with reliable and comparable information capable of guiding future decisions towards sustainability. Not just a snapshot of the state of the environment, but also a thoughtful reflection and a solid basis for discussion on the priority challenges to be addressed.

Three complementary perspectives will offer a coherent and authoritative vision of the state of the environment in 2025.

Press release (ita)

Environment report in Europe 2025

The state of environment in Italy 2025

Environmental indicator data base ISPRA 

Program

GEO-7 SPM Review and Approval Meeting

From October 27 to 31, 2025, the international meeting for the review and approval of the Summary for Policymakers (SPM) of the seventh edition of the Global Environment Outlook (GEO-7), the main environmental assessment report of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), will be held at United Nations Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.

The meeting will be attended by government representatives, UNEP-accredited observers, and the group of experts and scientists who contributed to the report.

Earth Jubilee: Towards a New Sustainable Humanism

Under the prestigious recognition of the Medal of the President of the Republic, the conference “Earth Jubilee: Towards a New Sustainable Humanism” will be held on 23 October in the Chamber of Parliamentary Groups. Participants will include the Minister of the Environment and Energy Security, Hon. Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, and H. E. Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, President Emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Culture and founder of the “Courtyard of the Gentiles”.

Another year of commitment for Bonelli's Eagle: the first year of the Life Abilas project.

The first year of the Life Abilas project concluded in October 2025. Its goal is to reestablish a stable population of Bonelli's eagles (Aquila fasciata) in Sardinia, where they had become extinct in the 1990s. Thanks to the joint efforts of ISPRA, Forestas, e-distribuzione, the Sardinia Region Environment Department, and GREFA, with the support of the CFVA and the SoS Abbjlarios association, the release of Bonelli's eagles, begun in 2018 as part of another Life Aquila a-Life project, has continued. At the same time, other concrete conservation activities have been launched, such as wild rabbit breeding to support local wild populations, the census of water bodies that pose a threat to the Bonelli's eagle and other species, the identification of power lines to be secured in key areas for the species, and much more.

Lead, a poison without borders

International conference on the effects of lead in hunting ammunition on wild birds, the environment, and human health
The event is organized by the Association for Ornithological Studies and Ecological Research of Friuli Venezia Giulia (APS) - in collaboration with the Italian Center for Ornithological Studies, the Vulture Conservation Foundation, the Julian Prealps Natural Park, and the Cornino Lake Nature Reserve.

SEAGHOSTS: The European project uncovering the secret lives of storm petrels is underway

From the Mediterranean Sea to the Northeast Atlantic, an international consortium including ISPRA will study the smallest and most elusive seabirds to protect them from new threats from the sea.

Understanding how animals move in nature and the environments they frequent is key to safeguarding biodiversity. This understanding is the basis for SEAGHOSTS "Winged ghosts wandering the oceans" a project funded by the European Commission that, between 2024 and 2027, will investigate the spatial and trophic ecology of storm petrels (Hydrobatidae and Oceanitidae families), the smallest and most elusive seabird species.

World Congress of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Congress will take place in Abu Dhabi from October 9 to 15. It will be a packed event with events and initiatives: 500 working sessions, 70 interactive exhibitions, over 1,400 IUCN members, and delegations from 140 countries. The conference has three main objectives: to facilitate discussion and collaboration on actionable solutions; to support the achievement of the Global Biodiversity Framework targets and continue conservation efforts towards 2030; and to mobilize key networks and partnerships to promote sustainable change for nature and humanity.

World Habitat Day

World Habitat Day, proclaimed by the United Nations in 1985, was created to raise awareness of the importance of addressing the challenges of global urbanization. Every year, on the first Monday of October, it is celebrated worldwide, emphasizing everyone's right to adequate housing.

The theme of World Habitat Day 2025 is "Urban Crisis Response." It focuses on the multiple crises affecting urban areas, with a particular focus on climate change and conflicts that exacerbate social inequalities.

The United Nations estimates that by 2050, 2.5 billion new urban residents will arrive in cities, significantly increasing the pressure on resources and infrastructure. Today, over a billion people live in precarious conditions, including slums and inadequate housing. It is essential to review urban planning policies to respond to these challenges, with concrete solutions to improve the quality of life in urban areas (Source: UN Habitat).

The event calls for the development of innovative responses and integrated approaches to effectively address urban crises. Cities are experiencing an increasing frequency of extreme weather events, such as heatwaves and floods, which pose a threat to public health and safety. Urban heat islands, where temperatures are significantly higher than in surrounding rural areas, are an example of the threats posed by climate change.

Discovering the residual vegetation of a Mediterranean forest in the heart of Rome! Citizen Science activities

As part of the URBAN NATURE initiative promoted by the WWF to promote the value and care of nature in cities for people's well-being, the ISPRA National Biodiversity Network is organizing a one-day meeting between experts and citizens at the Pineto Regional Urban Park in Rome.

The initiative will lead participants to discover the residual vegetation of a Mediterranean forest in the heart of Rome. Along a 3-kilometer trail, researchers from the Institute will address topics related to the importance of land management and the Natura 2000 Network, and lichens as bioindicators and bioaccumulators for monitoring air quality. The endemic species present along the trail will be described, along with the description of the residual vegetation typical of the Mediterranean environment, and the bird species present in the visited area will be "listened to."

Festival Planet Earth

Pianeta Terra Festival is an event for all who wish to explore our extraordinary common home and reflect on ways to preserve and inhabit it sustainably. It is a multidisciplinary event: we will discuss ecosystems, climate, new economic models, energy, agriculture, food, urban development, as well as new political, social, philosophical, anthropological, and artistic visions.

Ancient Forests and Old Trees: a Treasure of Nature, Life, and Culture

Old-growth forests are unique ecosystems, characterized by high structural and functional heterogeneity, with features that develop over decades and centuries. They are therefore of exceptional and irreplaceable importance, being forests where human disturbance is absent or negligible, and which host a truly unique flora and fauna. Moreover, they represent valuable carbon reservoirs and are essential for studying the impacts of climate change in areas where human influence is minimal

Published EEA Report Europe's Environment 2025

Despite significant progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, the overall state of the environment in Europe is not good, particularly with regard to nature, which continues to suffer from degradation, overexploitation, and biodiversity loss, as well as from the acceleration of climate change, which poses an urgent challenge.

These are the conclusions of the Report Europe's Environment  2025, published today by the European Environment Agency (EEA). The report provides the most comprehensive analysis of the current state and outlook for the environment, climate, and sustainability on the continent, based on data from 38 countries. The outlook for most environmental trends is alarming and poses serious risks to economic prosperity, security, and quality of life in Europe.

Bees, Pollinators, Pollen, and Biodiversity

ISPRA researchers will explain the ecological role of pollinating insects and pollen, as well as the Pollnet network. There will be a focus on the life of honeybees, with insights into the social habits of these insects. Fruit, food, pollinators, and biodiversity are connected by a bond that should never be forgotten, as it underpins our survival. Organic Honey Tasting.

Recommended: from age 5 and up.

The European Researchers' Night 205

This year, ISPRA is participating in the European Researchers' Night, along with other public research institutions and universities.
The initiative, which will take place across Europe on September 26 and 27, will be an opportunity to introduce citizens to the world of scientific research and discover the activities and results of public research on current topics.

The National Biodiversity Network and the role of citizen science in monitoring riparian vegetation – The RiVe project

Synchronous e-learning course

As part of the activities of the National Biodiversity Network and the RiVe (Riparian Vegetation) Project, ISPRA is promoting the training course "The National Biodiversity Network and the Role of Citizen Science in Monitoring Riparian Vegetation – The RiVe Project."

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

The Appian Way, one of the world's most fascinating archaeological parks, will be the narrative center of a trek led by university professors and researchers from ISPRA (Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research). The changing landscape will be explored with the help of zoology, geology, and urban planning to explore the multiple perspectives through which the history of the Regina Viarum can be interpreted.

Pastoralism and Mountain Livestock Farming between Globalization and the Return of Large Carnivores

The conference aims to provide information and interpretive tools to understand the importance of pastoralism and livestock farming for humankind, in the past, present, and future. This has always been in a close — and often conflictual — relationship with the presence of large carnivores, while also taking into account what this entails today, in a globalized world that has changed dramatically in recent decades and is still evolving.

Restoration Economy: Businesses Leading the Redevelopment of Territories

The event aims to shed light on the crucial role that businesses can play in the transition towards a nature-positive economy, by integrating biodiversity and natural capital into corporate strategies and reporting systems.

Discussions will cover international initiatives that are carrying out major ecosystem restoration projects through collaboration between public and private actors, as well as ways to access funding to take action in support of nature.

ISPRA inaugurates the sixth edition of the Summer School of Geomorphology, Ecology and Biology in marine and island environments

A laboratory for students, PhD candidates, graduates, and young researchers that combines advanced training, interdisciplinary research, and policies for the protection of marine resources.

The sixth edition of the Summer School of Geomorphology, Ecology, and Biology in Marine and Island Environments was officially opened in the presence of the Mayor of Procida, the Director General of ISPRA, Maria Siclari, the Director of the Regno di Nettuno Marine Protected Area, the Director of ARPA Campania, Stefano Sorvino, the representative of the Italian Geological Society, Fabiano Gamberi, the Director of the Vivara State Nature Reserve, Nicola Scotto di Carlo, and Giordano Giorgi, Head of the ISPRA National Center for Environmental Characterization and Coastal Protection, Marine Climatology, and Operational Oceanography. The event is promoted by the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) in collaboration with Sapienza University of Rome and the University of Chieti-Pescara.

As per tradition, the aim of the event is to provide advanced training, hands-on field experience, and opportunities for exchange between young researchers and professors from different institutions.