Events and News

Critical and strategic raw materials

The role of ISPRA in light of the new European regulatory framework for the sustainable and circular use of raw materials useful for the ecological and digital transition

One month after the entry into force of the decree, ISPRA launches the national mining program. In total there are 76 mines still active in Italy, 22 relating to materials that are included in the list of 34 critical raw materials of the EU. In 20 of these, feldspar is extracted, an essential mineral for the ceramic industry, and in 2, fluorite (in the municipalities of Bracciano and Silius), which is widely used in the steel, aluminium, glass, electronics and refrigeration. In particular, the Genna Tres Montis fluorspar mine (South Sardegna), which will return to full production at the end of the renovation works, will represent one of the most important in Europe. Of the other 91 fluorspar mines active in the past, some very important ones - to be revalued with current prices quadrupled compared to 1990 - are located in the Bergamo, Brescia and Trentino areas, in addition to those in Sardegna and Lazio

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Press release (ita)

The database GeMMA – Geologico, Minerario, Museale, Ambientale V. 1.0

Web site Georisorse minerarie d'Italia

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Presentation of the first hydrogeological map of the island of Ischia

On Tuesday 16 July, in the Council Room of the Municipality of Lacco Ameno (Ischia, NA), the presentation of the first Hydrogeological Map of the Island of Ischia will be held.

The new Map is the result of the rigorous and accurate work of the experts of the Vesuvian Observatory of the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV-OV) and of the Department of Earth, Environmental and Resource Sciences (UniNA - DiSTAR) of University of Napoli Federico II, represents an essential tool for understanding and managing the island's territory.

Land take: web application for sharing preliminary data from monitoring activities

ISPRA and the National System for Environmental Protection (SNPA) reserve for the operators of Municipalities and Observatories of the Regions and autonomous Provinces the consultation of the preliminary data deriving from land take monitoring, to make the national data updating process increasingly effective and participatory.

Rome: walking in geodiversity

On 6 October 2023, on the occasion of the second International Day of Geodiversity proclaimed by UNESCO, ISPRA together with the Italian Society of Environmental Geology organized the urban excursion "Rome: walking in geodiversity". The video shows only some of the themes and geosites visited during the urban excursion. The visits with the classes of the Marcello Malpighi Scientific High School will continue in the coming months. This activity is part of the GeoSciencesIR Project in WP2 which also deals with the valorization of the Geological Heritage and the catalog of Italian Geosites.

Geological walks with ISPRA - Tor Caldara

Visit to the Tor Caldara Regional Nature Reserve, accompanied by ISPRA researchers, in an area where sulfur was extracted already in Roman times
A walk in the ancient coastal forests of holm oaks, oaks and cork trees, through geology, nature and history, until you reach the sea. The Tor Caldara Nature Reserve is located south of Rome, between Anzio and Lavinio, and represents a geological-environmental treasure chest of unique value. The area constitutes a rare testimony of the ancient coastal forests along the coast of southern Lazio and until recently was exploited for sulfur mining, the presence of which is linked to the secondary activity of the Lazio volcanic district. The excursion led visitors to discover the geological and environmental characteristics of the Reserve, which is particularly suitable for educational purposes due to the spectacular secondary volcanic phenomena still active and the naturalistic importance of the habitats present

Soil health between consumption and degradation: European policies for the commons

ISPRA and the Tor Vergata University, as part of the collaboration on the topic of environmental sustainability in land use and territorial planning, are organizing a first scientific comparison seminar to highlight the relationship between policies, regulations and conditions of the soil.
In-depth analyzes of national, European and international experiences are expected, with reference to the aspects of land degradation, desertification risk, provision of soil ecosystem services, land consumption and sustainable use, with particular reference to target 15.3.1 of the sustainable development objectives ( Sustainable Development Goals - SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda.

How to quickly classify and evaluate geo-climatic problems and city hazards?

Discovering the Urban Geo-Climatic Footprint: from its recent innovations to the global application of the tool

The webinar aims to present a new methodology called Urban Geo-Climatic Footprint (UGF) which has been developed to quickly and comprehensively classify cities from a geological and climatic perspective. The method is based on the fundamental assumption that cities with similar geological-geographical environments will face similar challenges, due to both common geological problems and associated climate impacts. The UGF approach was applied to 41 European cities in collaboration with 17 European Geological Services. For those who are already involved in the project and have tested the tool in their cities, this webinar will be interesting for introducing the latest version 9.0 of the tool and its global applicability

The new frontiers for the geologist of the future

The workshop is organized by SIGEA-APS, in collaboration with the University of Basilicata and the Order of Geologists of Basilicata. At the end there will be a round table "What skills are necessary for the geologists of the future?"
Experts from different sectors from public research bodies, academic, professional and entrepreneurial fields will participate in the event.

Desertification and drought day 2024. Annex IV regional event

Hungary, in its role as Chair of the countries included in the Northern Mediterranean Annex IV of the UNCCD, organized an online event in the context of the celebrations of the World Desertification Day and the thirtieth anniversary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification which took place will be held on June 24th.

Critical raw materials law decree, the role of ISPRA

Approved on 20 June in the Council of Ministers, the Legislative Decree on the management of critical raw materials which adapts the national system to the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2024/1252 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024. The Legislative Decree introduces urgent provisions to ensure a safe and sustainable supply of critical raw materials.

Second National RECONECT Workshop

Nature-based Solutions for meteorological-hydrological risk mitigation: Applications and prospects

The RECONECT project (09/2018 – 08/2024) contributes to improving the European reference framework of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) for the reduction of meteorological-hydrological risk in natural and rural areas. The project is based on a network of pilot sites, EU and non-EU, which compete with the aim of innovating land management, pursuing objectives of both meteorological-hydrological risk reduction and local and regional development and protection of biodiversity.

Second 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 aim of guiding designers to a clear 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 the legislation in force (DPCM 09/27/2021) for their financing by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE).

Study Day 30th Anniversary of the UNCCD Convention

June 17th is the Day against Desertification and Drought, "United for the Earth". Our legacy. Our Future” is the theme chosen for 2024 and highlights the future of land management: our most precious resource for ensuring the stability and prosperity of billions of people around the world.

June 17, 2024 also marks the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the only legally binding international treaty on land management and drought; one of the three Rio Conventions together with climate change and biodiversity.

Desertification and Drought Day 2024

Desertification, land degradation and drought are among the most pressing environmental challenges of our time, with more than 40% of all land surface in the world already considered degraded.

A healthy land not only provides us with nearly 95% of our food, but much more: it clothes and shelters us, provides us with jobs and livelihoods, and protects us from worsening droughts, floods, and fires. Yet, every second, an equivalent of four football fields of healthy soil is degraded, totaling 100 million hectares each year.

The Desertification and Drought Day  it is celebrated every year on June 17th, “United for the Earth. Our legacy. Our Future” is the theme chosen for 2024 and highlights the future of land management: our most precious resource for ensuring the stability and prosperity of billions of people around the world.

June 17, 2024 will also mark the 30th anniversary of the Bonn-based United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the only legally binding international treaty on land management and drought; one of the three Rio Conventions together with climate change and biodiversity.

Desertification and Drought Day has the following objectives:

• Promote public awareness of problems related to desertification, land degradation and drought
• Present human-driven solutions to prevent desertification and reverse drought intensification
• Strengthen the implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.

Geological survey and CARG cartography - Summer School 2024

ISPRA, in collaboration and with the support of the Italian Geological Society, the Municipality of Erto and Casso, the Friulian Dolomites Natural Park and the Friuli Venezia Giulia Autonomous Region, organizes the 2024 summer school of "Geological survey and CARG cartography" at the Municipality of Erto e Casso, Friulian Dolomites Park from 16 to 22 June 2024.

The Summer School aims to disseminate the methodologies and criteria of geological survey and cartography, conceptual organization of data and digital archiving system in uniformity with the criteria of the CARG Project.

The School includes days of field survey work in small groups followed by experts and will be accompanied by lectures and exercises.

Further information

Landscapes and Geological Heritage, Cultural Heritage and Intangible Heritage

The Italian Society of Environmental Geology (SIGEA) – APS and the Regional Order of Geologists of Puglia in collaboration with the Municipality of Salve (LE) organizes the National Conference "Landscapes and Geological Heritage, Cultural Heritage and Intangible Heritage". The topics addressed will be: land management for the protection of geological heritage; geological heritage of natural and anthropic hypogea; geological landscapes and their evolution; landscapes and different artistic expressions; geological landscapes and food and wine routes.

Dancalia: the contribution of Italian geologists in the exploration of the Afar

The conference entitled "Dancalia: the contribution of Italian geologists in the exploration of the Afar" will be held in Rome on 7 June. During the day there will be an in-depth analysis of the role played by the Italian scientific community in the exploration of the Danakil region (East Africa). In fact, there are many examples of geologists, explorers and scientists who, from the 19th century to the present day, have traveled the length and breadth of the Afar depression, a desolate region but very rich in geosites: from the Erta Ale volcano to the area of Dallol and the Salt Plain, from the geothermal springs of Alalobed to the Awash valley with the various fossil finds.
During the conference there will be several interventions by various experts, university professors, researchers, geographers and historians, with the aim of enhancing the contribution that the geological community has historically produced on the Dancalia area, in terms of studies, research, discoveries, reports, images and geological and geographical maps, and to share new ideas and lines of research

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World Environment Day 2024

World Environment Day has been celebrated since 1972 and represents the United Nations' main vehicle for encouraging global awareness and action for the environment.

The 2024 day, hosted by Saudi Arabia, focuses on land restoration, desertification and drought resilience with the slogan “Our land. Our future. We are #GenerationRestoration.

According to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, up to 40% of the planet's land is degraded, directly affecting half the world's population and threatening about half of global GDP ($44 trillion). The number and duration of droughts have increased by 29% since 2000: without urgent action, droughts could affect more than three-quarters of the world's population by 2050.

Land restoration is a key pillar of the United Nations Decade for Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030), a call for the protection and revival of ecosystems around the world that is critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

2024 marks the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. The sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) will be held in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, from 2 to 13 December 2024.

UNCDD country report 2022 Italy 

The national IdroGeo platform on hydrogeological instability: data and services for the PA and companies

ISPRA meets decision makers and stakeholders

The conference "The IdroGEO national platform on hydrogeological instability: data and services for the PA and  companies - ISPRA meets decision makers and stakeholders", organized as part of the Open Gov Week, will be held on 30 May.
ISPRA will present the balance sheet on data and services provided by the national IdroGEO platform, four years after its launch in May 2020.
The IdroGEO Platform is an open data, open source and multilingual web application that allows you to view, query, download and share maps and data on hydrogeological instability in Italy.

It is a communication and information dissemination tool, to support decisions in the context of risk mitigation policies, territorial planning, preliminary planning of infrastructures, planning of structural soil defense interventions, management of hydrogeological emergencies and of environmental assessments.

As part of the event, the new functions for consulting and sharing hazard data and maps, hydrogeological risk indicators and the Inventory of Landslide Phenomena in Italy will be presented. The event will constitute a moment of meeting and discussion with decision makers, businesses, professions, universities and associations.

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XVI National Mining Day - 2024 Edition

National Mining Day, promoted to spread the value and cultural significance of mining tourism, has reached its sixteenth edition this year, registering growing interest across the entire national territory. The initiative, organized by REMI, ISPRA SNPA, with MASE, AIPAI, ANIM, ASSORISORSE, G&T  and the patronage of Consiglio Nazionale dei Geologi, EuroGeoSurveys e Primavera della Mobilità dolce involves the organization of dedicated events throughout the national territory and the creation of a "national calendar" with all the initiatives promoted by the Sites/Museums and Mining Parks.

CARG project: geological cartography towards the future

As part of the cycle of in-depth online seminars "Caffè di Geologica" on Friday 24 May at 4.00 pm an ISPRA researcher will talk about the "CARG Project: geological cartography towards the future".

Earth! Challenges, innovations and prospects

The Congress of Italian geologists organized by the National Council of Geologists will be held in Palermo from 23 to 25 May.
The main objective of the congress is to highlight the centrality of new contemporary challenges relating to geo-resources, the environment, energy, climate change, infrastructure, risk planning and management and training.

Urban Geo-climate Footprint selected among the finalists of the Color PA Award of the PA Forum 2024

Produced by ISPRA in collaboration with EuroGeoSurveys, Urban Geo-climate Footprint is the tool that classifies cities from a geological and climatic point of view to help them face the challenges of the future.
It allows you to measure, through the so-called UGF INDEX, the geological complexity of a city, and consequently evaluate the benefits that it could have in the event of impact mitigation. The classification of cities from this point of view can allow comparison between cities with similar characteristics and therefore encourage the exchange of good practices for solving geological-climatic problems.

Flood, landslide and drought emergencies: the role of Naturalistic Engineering and NBS - Nature Based Solutions

"For effective results, interoperability is required, integrated interventions are necessary and naturalistic engineering is an important partner in a path towards correct territorial planning" - said the ISPRA DG, Maria Siclari, who spoke today at the workshop organized by AIPIN and ISPRA on the topic of hydrogeological instability and climate change as contributing causes of the frequent emergencies, the serious damage and the numerous victims that are recorded every year.
"Knowledge plays a fundamental role: ISPRA has registered 622 thousand landslides, 2/3 of the European context, Rendis 25 thousand interventions, 30% of which fall on the Natura 2000 network. Without scientifically validated data, useful interventions for the mitigation of the hydrogeological risk" - added the Director General.

During the conference, the topic of Nature-based solutions was also addressed, in English Nature Based Solutions - NBS, solutions aimed at the restoration, recovery or protection of natural processes to protect ecosystems and biodiversity, with advantages also for human well-being, are winners. European and national strategies and programmes, also supported by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), go in this direction.

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RaStEM: a support tool for the design of hydrogeological risk mitigation interventions

The workshop "RaStEM: a support tool for the design of hydrogeological risk mitigation interventions" will be held in Rome on 15 May.
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).

Final conference of NewLife4Drylands project

Sustainable Development Festival 2024

The Sustainable Development Festival is promoted by the Italian Alliance for Sustainable Development (ASviS) with the aim of raising awareness among citizens, young generations, businesses, associations and institutions on the issues of economic, social and environmental sustainability.
An opportunity to spread the culture of sustainability and achieve a cultural change that allows Italy to implement the United Nations 2030 Agenda and achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Festival has also been recognized by the United Nations as an innovative and unique initiative at an international level, twice ranking as a finalist in the SDGs Action Awards.

The study of FAC - Active and Capable Faults in Territorial Planning

The conference, organized by the Order of Geologists of Lazio and the Order of Engineers of the province of Rieti, with the patronage of ISPRA and INGV, will be held on Monday 6 May. ISPRA will present the results of the studies carried out on the FACs present along the south-eastern edge of the Rieti basin, financed by the Commissioner for Earthquake Reconstruction 2016 and merged into the products of Level III Seismic Microzonation.

We're the environment, you're the environment!

The ISPRA General Director, Maria Siclari, opened the FloraCult event today by participating in the talk "The Environment is us, the Environment is YOU!" dedicated to the discovery of the people and actions carried out every day by the Institute to understand and protect the environment.
"ISPRA produces data that it makes available to everyone, because without knowledge it is not possible to protect the environment - declared the General Director - the Ecoatlante is the tool that makes them understandable and usable. Climate changes that cause extreme events, monitoring and restoration of the marine environment with the PNRR MER project, geological cartography for a deeper investigation of the territories and their history, are just some of the many activities we carry out in ISPRA". 

Until April 28th it will be possible to visit a specially set up space to get an idea of ​​the activities that concern the Environment at 360°. Visitors will be able to move between exhibition panels, where they will find geological maps, data on emerging environmental themes and stories in images of geologists at work. Furthermore, they will be able to speak directly with ISPRA researchers and travel in the EcoAtl@nte and among the geological maps of the CARG Project, simply using their smartphone.

The event has the scientific patronage of ISPRA

Photo gallery

Further information 

From reclamation to restoration: Sustainable environmental restoration

The remediation of reclaimed sites and the activities to bring them back to a second life and make them an added value for the surrounding areas: this is the focus on which the second edition of the conference "From remediation to remediation" will take place, organized by the Environment, Energy and climate, civil protection of the Lombardy Regional Council.