Improvements in European bathing water quality but there are still opened challenges

Last EEA data show that the number of bathing sites monitored under the Bathing Water Directive has increased from about 7,500 in 1990 to more than 22,000 in 2019. From 1991 to 2019, the share of bathing sites with sufficient water quality has increased from 74 % to more than 95 % .

4th Conference of the Italian Marine Geologists

The 4th Conference of Italian Marine Geologists will take place on 25 and 26 February under the aegis of the Italian Geological Society, CNR, INGV, OGS, ConISMa and ISPRA. The aim is to bring together all researchers active in the field of marine geosciences in a discussion informal and open to all.

Quantification of carbon deposits and rate of change in relation to the degradation drivers identified for habitat 1120 *: the case study of the Life SeaForest Project

On Tuesday 16 February, CNR IGAG will organize the webinar "Quantification of carbon deposits and rate of change in relation to the degradation drivers identified for habitat 1120*: the case study of the Life SeaForest Project".

Implementation of an innovative system for monitoring the sea state in climate change scenarios

In the last decades, as a results of the climate change, extreme weather and marine events have also intensified in the Sicily Channel, increasingly the need to develop actions to reduce the coastal risk. However, the current data provided by the various networks for surveying the sea  state in the channel are not exhaustive of the phenomenon.

ISPRA and the LIFE project Lagoon Refresh for the World Wetlands day

Every year on the 2 February is celebrated the World Wetlands day to increase the awareness on the important role that these areas have for the people and our Planet. The wetlands, such as the lagoon, are considered among the most productive environment for their high biological diversity. ISPRA, since 2017, together with the partner of the LIFE Lagoon Refresh project, is taking care on an area of the Venice lagoon, with specific actions to restore the saline gradient, lost following the diversion of rivers, in order to increase the conservation status of lagoon habitats and the biodiversity of fish, birds, moving bottom animals and plants.

Video presentation of the project   

LIFE Lagoon Refresh project- Video of the Hydraulic and Morphological works

How are the species that live in the Mediterranean?

In the Mediterranean Sea live about 10% of all marine species while accounting for just 0.7% of the global marine surface. In order to protect the ecosystems of the Mediterranean, the EU developed a directive in 2008, the marine strategy, with the aim of achieving, by 2020, a "good state of conservation for the European seas", a target that is still far away, however. as revealed in the report published in June 2020.

Plastic, bioplastic, riplastic or Noplastic

The webinar aims to share and discuss the different possibilities of sustainable and innovative solutions that involve the use of plastics and towards recovery-oriented production and consumption. Furthermore, the webinar will also represent a moment of exchange of scientific knowledge between the different institutions working in the sector, researchers, entrepreneurs and experts.

Life SEPOSSO project: educational kit

The project LIFE SEPOSSO has collected all the materials and experiences produced during 2 years of meeting, lessons and games with more than 1.500 young people to make them available for all the public.

From theory to practice: capitalization of the results obtained from the Interreg Italy - France Maritime SEDRIPORT, SEDITERRA and GRAMAS projects

On December 10, the Webinar entitled "From theory to practice: capitalization of the results obtained from the Interreg Italia Francia Marittimo Se.D.Ri.Port, Sediterra and Gramas projects" will be held organized and coordinated by ISPRA as part of the Se .D.Ri.Port, funded by the INTERREG Italy-France Maritime 2014-2020 program".

National Geographic Festival of Sciences - Drops of civilization in a sea of ​​plastic

ISPRA and the Italian marine protected areas

Marine protected areas are an effective tool to protect marine biodiversity and ensure the sustainable use of resources. ISPRA has made a short video to present the its work of the "Marine Protected Areas" section and the technical-scientific activities to support the Italian Ministry of the Environment. The study activities carried out by ISPRA include investigations of an environmental nature and provide for the involvement of local communities, to acquire the necessary information on environmental values ​​and socio-economic components.

National Geographic Festival of Sciences - The sea roads

As part of the fifteenth edition of the National Geographic Festival of Sciences, the online event "The sea roads" will be held on November 25th.
The sea will be at the center of attention of a whole decade that the UN has dedicated to the study of the ocean. The reasons is that the way to sustainability necessarily passes through the sea, the innovative study of oceanography, the knowledge of how it is changing and how to preserve it, from the ice of the polar regions to our coasts.

Marine litter: from fishermen to guardian of the sea

The event is part of the Sealogy exhibition that aims to promote good practices and experiences on Blue economy, an opportunities also for companies and allo the stakeholders involved in this field.
The webinar is dedicated to marine pollution and the collection of waste at sea. An opportunity for discussion and exchange on projects, on initiatives in the field but also on the critical issues in the collection of marine waste.

“Third issue of the SoED report since 2005 and very little has changed in the Mediterranean” the Plan Bleu states

Despite the actions taken by the Barcelona Convention over more than 40 years, the future of the Mediterranean is at a critical point. Damage to ecosystems that can compromise human well-being risks becoming irreversible. ISPRA, as the INFO / RAC Centre of UNEP MAP (Mediterranean Action Plan), focuses on the State of the Environment and Development in the Mediterranean (SoED) published by Plan Bleu and UNEP / MAP.

Harmony Project - "Laboratory of Co-design for proposals and measures for the PAF Nature 200"

The initiative is implemented as part of the "Harmony" project, funded by the P.O. Italy-Malta 2014-2020, whose objective is to define coordinated and shared intervention strategies for the assessment of the integrity of the seabed and the presence of invasive non-indigenous species in the Italian-Maltese area, through the promotion of inclusive decision-making processes participatory.

FAO Small-Scale Fisheries University DAY

The cooperation between the the small scale fisheries and researchers
The event is part of a cycle of meeting carried out simultaneously between fishermen and researchers in 10 countries of the Mediterranean and Black Sea under the coordination of the FAO Mediterranean and Black Sea regional projects, AdriaMed, BlackSea4Fish, CopeMed, EastMed, MedSudMed. The target is to enhance the different methods of collaboration between fishermen and researchers in support of fishing management and sea protection, and in support of artisanal fishing and small-scale fishing

Towards shared proposals and measures for the PAF - Priority Action Plan for Natura 2000

The initiatives is carried out in the whole of the Harmony project funded by P.O Italy-Malta 2014, which the objectives is he protection of marine biodiversity by assessing seabed integrity and the presence of nonindigenous species (NIS) in the Italo-Maltese cross-border area, promoting the development of coordinated strategies and shared decision making processes.

Scienza Insieme and the NET Project: starts the "Researchers story"

The initiatives includes 10 videos that will tell the life experiences of ten researchers of the NET project, their dreams and hopes since they were childhood. The stories, told directly by the researchers' voices, will try to answer to the many questions that often they received,  by email or in the conferences, to understand what kind of study are necessary to become a scientist. Aimed above all at an audience, the 10 episodes are stories of young people who have decided to undertake a fascinating and challenging profession.

#Cirimettiamolepinne #SUB4FAN #ART4FAN

Workshop of updating on the ecological status of the  Pinna nobilis 
From 27 October to 1 November in Trieste there will be an exhibition on the largest mollusk in the Mediterranean, now at risk of extinction also in the Gulf of Trieste. In addition to the exhibition, a scientific workshop on 30 October in which scientists and scholars from the main bodies that are working on Pinna nobilis at local and national level will participate.

A resource not to be wasted: towards a common policy for the integrity of the seabed in the Mediterranean Sea

The objectives of the HARMONY Project are the protection of marine biodiversity by assessing seabed integrity and the presence of nonindigenous species (NIS) in the Italo-Maltese cross-border area, promoting the development of coordinated strategies and shared decision making processes.

Plastic and the Mediterranean sea

In the frame of a series of meetings entitled "Face to face with plastic", organized by the Natural History Museum of Calci (PI) on the occasion of the exhibition "Plastic and us", dedicated to the topic ff plastic pollution in the sea, the online event "Plastics and the Mediterranean Sea" will be held on 21 October, with Ispra experts taking part

The Italian HUB for the BLUEMED initiative Pilot “Towards a Healthy plastic-free Mediterranean Sea”

The BlueMed Pilot action, launched in 2018 is aimed to mapping and asses the actions of marine pollution related to plastic waste in UE and extra UE in the Mediterranean area to promote good practices and awareness towards citizens. 

"Science Nights" with ISPRA at the CineVillage Parco Talenti

The ecological beaches. The contribution of female scientists to the conservation of the marine phanerogams.

As part of the events "Waiting for the European Researchers' Night", on Saturday 12 September the NET project proposes a scientific talk about the marine research, ecological beach and oceanic Posidonia. ISPRA experts and the University of Tor Vergata will discuss the role of female scientists in the study of marine ecosystems. Later other topics will regard the ecological beach and oceanic posidonia and the ecological role of this precious marine plant.

Very appreciated from the public the  video NET project developed by Ispra.

Programme

Removal of secondary solid fuel ecobale (SSF) in the Gulf of Follonica

The removal of 40 secondary solid fuel ecobale (SSF) in the Gulf of Follonica, started last 6 August, is still continuing, thank to the Italian Navy that has recovered 6 of them. Ispra, together with Arpa Toscana, is supporting the Civil Protection and the Navy, and some experts of the Institute are inside the boats during the repechage of waste bales, indicating potential solutions in order to minimize the environmental consequences of recovery operations.

The Institute also deals with the characterization of the recovered material and will monitor the transport and disposal activities. On the basis of the information obtained with the Copernicus Marine Service System, ISPRA monitors the weather and sea conditions affecting the ecobale recovery area.

Waiting for the European Researchers' Night 2020 - The sea and Ispra

Scientific aperitif

Waiting for the European Researchers' Night, the NET projects proposes a series of a "scientific appetizers" at the beach of Livorno and Quercianella that will be an opportunity to illustrate the topics of research in which Ispra is involved with the aim to protect the marine system.

Italian TV channels take a keen interest in the Interreg Med Plastic Busters MPAs project

During the quarantine and while travel restrictions were imposed, Italian viewers had the chance to travel across the Mediterranean Sea alongside the Plastic Busters MPAs project partners to have a closer look at the scientific means the project uses to tackle plastic problems.

Fuel pellets Gulf of Follonica

Ispra and Arpa Toscana are working with the members of the National Civil Protection Service to ensure the removal of the bales fuel pellets  dispersed in the Gulf of Follonica following the accident of the "IVY" motor ship, which occurred in July 2015.

After lockdown water more clear

First results of the special campaign at sea conducted by Snpa and harbor authorities - Coast Guard. The Italian Minister of the Environment, Sergio Costa has declared: "Our seas are clearer, we are commitment to keep them that in this way". Clear waters and an overall stable situation for substances related to production activities: this is the first general frame that emerges from the extraordinary monitoring carried out by the National Environmental Protection System (SNPA) and the General Command of the Port Authority Corps. Starting from April, at the request of the Ministry of the Environment, an analysis campaign was launched at sea - beyond the ordinary ones - to understand the effects and impacts of the lockdown on Italian waters. The monitoring was carried out in 457 sampling stations along the entire national coastal arc, chosen from those that presented historical data comparable with those of 2020.

Signing up to the Newsletter of the "Plastic Blusters MPAs" project

The 4-year project, started on 1 February 2018, is financed by the European Community INTERREG MED Cooperation and is coordinated by ISPRA. For the first time on a Mediterranean scale, EU countries and accession states join forces to tackle marine litter with a coordinated approach.

Harmony project, restart the process for the common policy between Italian and Malta

In the frame of the Harmony project restart from Lampedusa the "partecipative road to build the common policy between Italy and Malta" to protect marine biodiversity in the areas of the two Countries. From 21 to 22  "Surveillance and alert systems of iInvasive alien species and protected marine areas: local actors, institutions and experts compared for the definition of shared intervention strategies".