Events and News

Towards a new European plan for adaptation to climate change

Adaptation to climate change is now a structural priority for European policies. It is not just a matter of responding to more frequent extreme events, but of strengthening the capacity of territories, productive sectors and institutions to operate in conditions of increasing climate variability. In this context, the new European Climate Adaptation Plan (ECAP), scheduled for 2026, represents a strategic step to relaunch adaptive action in the Union. The emerging priorities are developed along three lines: intervention in the most vulnerable sectors (infrastructure, urban planning, agriculture), the promotion of an integrated approach to resilience, with nature-based solutions, the adoption of new policy tools and the integration of climate criteria in fiscal and financial policies.

World Desertification and Drought Day 2025

This year’s World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought focuses on one of the most pressing global challenges: restoring 1.5 billion hectares of degraded land and building a $1 trillion land restoration economy by 2030.

With the theme “Restoring Land. Unlocking Opportunities,” the 2025 celebration highlights how land restoration can create jobs, increase food and water security, support climate action, and build economic resilience.

More than half of global GDP depends on healthy ecosystems. Yet every year, an area the size of Egypt degrades, causing biodiversity loss, increasing drought risk, and displacing entire communities. The ripple effects are global, from rising food prices to instability and migration.

But land restoration turns the tables. Every dollar invested in restoration generates an economic return of $7 to $30. Revitalizing land restores productivity, strengthens water cycles, and supports millions of rural livelihoods.

Café Talk "Sustainable soil management practices and scientific gaps: Microbial based"

The first of the Café Talks that will be organized by the MONALISA Knowledge Community will take place on June 6th. This event will address the issues related to sustainable soil management practices and scientific gaps: microbial-based solutions and will start a discussion among participants on how the MONALISA project can facilitate the development of these practices.

Green&Blue Festival 2025

“Let’s start from scratch. Numbers for the future of the planet” is the theme of this fourth edition. There is, in fact, only one way to address the climate crisis: rely on science. Three days of discussions, conferences, live shows, workshops, exhibits and think tanks to discuss, numbers in hand, the future of the planet. Numbers are the key element to photograph the current state of health of the Earth and, at the same time, to set the objectives necessary to guarantee a future for the planet and especially for its inhabitants.

ISPRA participates in the eighth General Assembly of the Copernicus Climate Change Service

ISPRA, within the framework of the Italian initiative for the National Collaboration Programme (NCP) of the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) which it coordinates, will participate in the 8th C3S General Assembly and the 3rd C3S NCP Forum in Valencia from 2 to 4 June.

Climate change and the rights of young generations

On the occasion of the 34th anniversary of Italy’s ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, UNICEF Italy and the Parliamentary Commission for Childhood and Adolescence are organizing a conference entitled “Climate change and the rights of young generations”.

In-Country Review of the First Biennial Transparency Report for Italy

From 19 to 23 May, ISPRA hosts the review session of the First Biennial Transparency Report (BTR) of Italy, under the Paris Agreement.

The review is part of the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF), established by the Paris Agreement, which requires all Parties to periodically submit their Biennial Transparency Reports. The objective of the ETF is to ensure transparent, consistent and detailed reporting of progress made towards achieving national climate goals, while strengthening mutual trust and accountability among Parties.

Invent, innovate and transform the future of cultural heritage with Copernicus

ISPRA, together with the National Copernicus Users Forum and the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), is organizing a Hackathon entitled “Cultural Space”. This is a multidisciplinary event for young talents aimed at promoting innovation in the sectors of cultural heritage, air quality and climate change, making use of the Copernicus Earth observation products made available by the CAMS and C3S services.

Decarbonization: Building a Zero Emissions Future

Significant drop in greenhouse gases in 2024: -3% compared to the previous year, mainly due to the electricity generation sector. This sector accounts for an average of a quarter of national emissions and over the years has proven to be among the most efficient in terms of reducing climate-altering gases: these have decreased by 64% from 1990 to today.

The transport sector remains problematic, with emissions continuing to grow significantly and representing 28% of national emissions: over 90% of them derive from road transport and have increased by approximately 7% since 1990. The Italian vehicle fleet is still characterized by traditionally fueled vehicles (petrol and diesel) and over the years the number of vehicles has seen a significant expansion (over 50%). All other economic sectors have seen marked reductions in emissions, with the exception of waste management, which however contributes only 5% of the national total.

This is the picture that emerges from the first elaborations of Ispra relating to 2024, presented today in Rome as part of the conference “Decarbonization: building a zero-emission future” promoted by Ispra. The report Greenhouse gas emissions in Italy: reduction targets and emission scenarios is available online from today. It outlines the Italian emission framework from 1990 to 2023 and presents an analysis of the emission scenarios for 2030 and 2055 compared to the reference one (with current policies) and the scenario with additional policies envisaged by the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC). A specific focus is dedicated to the emission reduction objectives, with particular reference to the Effort Sharing sectors and the role of the LULUCF sector in balancing emissions. Ispra’s task is to annually develop and publish the national inventory and every two years the greenhouse gas emission scenarios to transmit them to European and international bodies.

Adapting Communities

The climate crisis requires a strong common commitment to deal with the extreme weather events that increasingly hit our cities, threatening society, ecosystems and the economy. The watchword for cities is to adapt. The world of research is committed to supporting and developing strategies to make our urban areas resilient, capable of facing the threats caused by climate change, such as intense rainfall and heat waves, also through the active involvement of citizens.

World Water Day 2025

World Water Day is celebrated on March 22, an annual United Nations observance focused on the importance of fresh water.
With over 2 billion people living without access to clean water, action is essential to address the global water crisis. A key goal of World Water Day is to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6: Water, sanitation and hygiene for all by 2030.

ISPRA researchers selected to draft the 2027 Methodological Report on Short-Lived Climate Forcers (SLCF)

ISPRA researchers Daniela Romano and Marina Vitullo have been selected to draft the 2027 Methodological Report on Short-Lived Climate Forcers (SLCF). The structure of the report was agreed during the 61st session of the IPCC in Sofia, Bulgaria, in August 2024. The selected lead authors will be responsible for drafting and revising the chapters of the report, taking into account feedback from experts and governments, and will be called to participate in meetings in the period 2025-2027.

Management of drought risk and water crises

The webinar "Management of drought risk and water crises" is the third meeting organized by the Italian Hydrological Society as part of the «Lino Versace» Webinar Cycle on applied hydrology.
An ISPRA researcher will participate in the meeting.

CIRO Roadshow 2025

Data, strategies and good practices to guide the transition of the Italian regions

CIRO is the database that collects data on the climate performance of the Italian regions.
The Italian Regions, key players in the climate and energy transition, will be protagonists of the CIRO Roadshow 2025, an event organized on 6 March by Italy for Climate within Key - The Energy Transition Expo.
During the event, the new edition of the CIRO 2025 database will be presented, developed by Italy for Climate in collaboration with ISPRA, launched for the first time last year and part of the SISTAN (National Statistical System

“Green wire for a sustainable Jubilee” the SNPA events to reflect on ecology, science and faith

In March, on the occasion of World Water Day will start the initative “Green wire for a sustainable Jubilee"  with the first three regional events organized by Arpa Friuli Venezia Giulia, Arpa Liguria and Arpa Umbria (which will start as early as March 20th). This is a series of events which, involving the entire Italian territory at a regional level and, finally, at a national level, with  meetings, seminars, nature trails and city celebrations.

Presentation of the volume "Drought, scarcity and water crises - The contribution of research to support the definition of the water balance"

The volume is a collective work written by the “Drought, scarcity and water crises” working group of the Department of Earth System Sciences and Environmental Technologies of the Cnr, with the contribution of around 100 authors from various Cnr Institutes and the support from ISPRA, the Civil Protection Department and the commissioner structure for water scarcity.
The objective of this presentation is to open a dialogue between the main national bodies and institutions involved in the topics of drought, management and governance of water resources.

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.

PCTO "Climate change: understand to act"

The students of the 5 BIO of the “Carducci-Volta-Pacinotti” Higher Institute of Piombino took part in the path for transversal skills and orientation (PCTO), organized by two ISPRA researchers, committed to understanding the main causes climate change, the impacts on avifauna and migratory species and the study of marine alien species that are colonizing the Mediterranean Sea.

Current and future impacts of climate change: new assessment and forecasting tools thanks to the EU Copernicus programme

Estimate the future availability of water resources and develop future projections of heat waves based on greenhouse gas emission scenarios, evaluate the risks of forest fires, predict the possible frequency of drought events and temperature and precipitation anomalies based on seasonal forecast. These are the objectives of the cooperation between national and regional bodies within the framework of the National Collaboration Program (NCP) with the European Center for Medium-Term Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) promoted by the European Union for the use of the tools of the Copernicus Service dedicated to climate change (C3S).

New update of the ISPRA indicators database

More than 200 indicators from the ISPRA environmental indicators database have been updated, the objective is to promote greater environmental awareness and involve the scientific community, in particular that of environmental statistics and information, in the crucial environmental issues of our time.

The database of environmental indicators, organized into 39 environmental themes, with over 300 indicators (ISPRA core set), is the most complete collection of statistical data and information on the state of the environment in Italy created and managed by the Institute for the Protection and Environmental Research (ISPRA) in collaboration with regional agencies and autonomous provinces within the National System for Environmental Protection (SNPA).

The indicators, classified under Environmental Themes, are structured in sheets containing descriptive information (metadata) such as, for example, the objectives to be achieved, the assessment of the state, the trend and data represented with graphs, tables and maps.

Presentation of the book "Drought, scarcity and water crises - The contribution of research to support the definition of the water balance"

On 6 December, as part of the "Più Libri Più Liberi" event, at the CNR editions stand, there will be the presentation of the volume "Drought, scarcity and water crises - The contribution of research to support the definition of the water balance", published by CNR edizioni, to which ISPRA also contributed by drafting Chapter 1 "The hydrological balance, the availability of water resources and the water balance", the paragraph dedicated to the "Water balance and water stress" and the part relating to state of the climate.
The preface of the book is signed by ISPRA President Stefano Laporta.

From land to Earth. The soil between climate changes and new lifestyles

The event will be an opportunity to start a debate between representatives of the sector and reflect on the importance of soil, its role in combating ongoing climate change and the objectives to be achieved to protect and preserve it.

The other side of the moon: climate change adaptation in multilevel governance

The seminar "The other side of the moon: adaptation to climate change in multilevel governance" is scheduled for Thursday 5 December at 2.00 pm, at the headquarters of the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna.

Strategies for the Climate Transition: cities and territories as protagonists

The conference, organized by the Cariplo Foundation, will explore concrete actions to combat climate change and strategies for communicating it, with interventions by experts and national and international case studies. The day includes insights into local projects, technical sessions and debates with journalists, researchers and activists. An ISPRA expert will also participate in the conference.

The sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)

On 2 December  the biennial meeting of the delegations of 197 signatory countries of of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has started and it will last until 13 December 2024. Italy has been a signatory to the UNCCD since 1994.

This year the theme of COP 16 is “Our Land. Our Future” and, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the UNCCD, will represent a key moment in the process of combating desertification, land degradation and drought, marking a renewed global commitment to accelerate investments and actions

Climate Change and Cetaceans in the Mediterranean: a strong reduction in the conditions suitable for the survival of some species is estimated in 25 years

The warming of the Mediterranean Sea is proceeding at a faster rate than the global average, putting all the species that live there at serious risk. Cetaceans are no exception, present with 11 regular species in the Mediterranean, which can respond to variations in climatic conditions by moving, but also conditioned by the distribution of their prey.

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.

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.

COP 29

The 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 11 to 22 November.

The Baku COP 29 Presidency Plan is based on two parallel, mutually reinforcing pillars:

• the first, "enhancing ambition", combines key elements to ensure that all Parties are committed to ambitious national plans and transparency;
• the second, "enabling action", reflects the fundamental role of finance, a key tool for transforming ambition into action and reducing emissions, adapting to climate change and addressing loss and damage.

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.