News

Safeguarding the Common Home for the Harmony of the Planet

A Green Thread for the SNPA Jubilee
The event is part of the broader project “Green Line for a Sustainable Jubilee”, promoted by the National System for Environmental Protection. On the occasion of the 2025 Jubilee, in fact, SNPA proposes a series of events throughout Italy, in agreement with local dioceses, to promote communication and awareness activities that involve environmental issues and those of faith, ecology and creation, science and religion.

“GHOSTNETS”: nearly 3 tons of ghost nets removed and 52 thousand square meters of seabed restored in Sicily

The first marine ecosystem restoration operations included by the PNRR MER - Marine Ecosystem Restoration – Intervention A12 “GhostNets” have been completed

Every year, approximately 100,000 mammals and one million marine birds die due to entrapment in abandoned fishing nets or after ingesting the fragments they release into the sea. 86% of marine waste found on the seabed is attributable to fishing activities, with a clear prevalence of abandoned, lost or disused fishing lines, ropes and nets (ISPRA data). Ghost nets therefore represent one of the most insidious forms of marine pollution.
For this reason, ISPRA, the implementing body of the PNRR MER project, has entrusted the economic operators Fondazione Marevivo, Castalia Consorzio Stabile and CoNISMa, the National Inter-University Consortium for Marine Sciences, in the “GhostNets” operation, with the recovery of fishing nets and gear abandoned or accidentally lost at sea.

Innovative Technologies for Monitoring Marine Protected Areas

The DigitAP project dedicated to Marine Protected Areas (MPA) is getting underway, with the start of the delivery phase of the equipment intended for environmental monitoring of species and habitats and anthropic pressures.

This involves high-tech equipment, including two different types of drones: a first model equipped with a laser light LiDAR sensor, ideal for 3D mapping of the territory and submerged structures, and the other equipped with a multispectral probe, capable of detecting environmental parameters, including the characteristics of vegetation and water quality.

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.

NEST Connect 2025 – The energy that changes the future

On May 13th, NEST Foundation presents NEST Connect 2025 – The energy that changes the future: a day dedicated to energy transition and sustainable innovation, with debates, scenarios and new perspectives. Researchers, policy makers, academics and businesses meet to shape, together, a new energy model. A network of thought and action to address the challenges of our time and generate concrete impact.

Publication of RETICULA n. 38/2025

The number 38 of RETICULA technical journal is now available online.

This issue's Editorial reflects on one of the necessary measures to combat invasive alien species (IAS), namely the early notification of the competent authorities of the appearance of a new IAS and its rapid removal. The articles give an update on the activities of pollinator monitoring in the Vesuvius area, with the double function of promoting biodiversity and contributing to public awareness; on the results of the LIFE Perdix project, whose main objective was the reintroduction of the Italian Partridge (Perdix perdix italica) in the Valle del Mezzano. The experience of the Bruschera marshes within the BioBlitz Lombardia programme as an opportunity for citizens to approach the world of natural sciences and biodiversity.

As usual, the News section contains many useful information reported by users of the journal and by the Editorial Board

Cosmos 482 spacecraft re-enters the atmosphere

The Department of Civil Protection is following the event in close contact with ASI: the probability of a real impact on Italian territory is extremely low and quantifiable at one in a million

The Soviet Cosmos 482 landing module, launched in 1972 towards Venus and remained in orbit for over fifty years due to a failure, is heading towards the atmosphere with an uncontrolled reentry.

Published Environment in Italy: an overview. Environmental data yearbook 2024

Environment in Italy: An Overview, 2024 Environmental Data Yearbook is a statistical report of great scientific importance, produced by ISPRA in collaboration with the regional and autonomous provincial environmental protection agencies within the National System for Environmental Protection (SNPA).

Through the over 300 indicators present in the ISPRA environmental indicators database, the document provides official information on the state of the environment in our country to a broad audience that includes politicians, administrators, technicians and citizens. It therefore allows to increase knowledge of the main phenomena and their interrelations; to evaluate the effectiveness of the protection strategies in place in accordance with the established regulatory objectives and with the main national, European and international programs; to strengthen the response capacity of the institutions.

World Migratory Bird Day 2025

Saturday, May 10 is World Migratory Bird Day, which this year highlights the relationship between migratory birds and insects in an alarming decline for both. The theme chosen for 2025 is “Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-Friendly Cities and Communities” to highlight the importance of creating safe and sustainable environments for migratory birds to thrive.

These days, on our beaches, it is possible to observe the Kentish Plover again, a small wader that is dedicating itself to nesting. The General Command of the Carabinieri, the ringers and the local associations adhering to the National Committee for the Conservation of the Kentish Plover, have resumed nest monitoring and ringing activities, in compliance with the Birds Directive and the AEWA Agreement on migratory water birds. ISPRA coordinates the ringing project with colored rings visible from a distance and has drawn up the Protocol for the collection of data on the nesting population.

Birds and Infrastructure: mitigating Impacts

Large infrastructures such as wind farms and airports have a significant impact on biodiversity and the environment. In the design of such facilities, it is often overlooked that wind and air are a resource shared by birds. Wind turbines in areas frequented by migratory birds or local species, or aircraft turbines can cause collisions, generating "conflicts" between birds and facilities that are difficult to resolve. During the seminar, experiences and case studies will be discussed, exploring methods to assess and reduce the risk of collisions, sharing planning approaches with institutions and energy producers.

European Parks Day, 24 May 2025. Citizen Science Initiative at Castelli Romani Regional Park

On the occasion of the European Parks Day, May 24, 2025, the National Biodiversity Network participates and supports the Citizen Science initiative promoted by the Castelli Romani Regional Park Authority. The initiative aims to raise awareness among participants of the role that protected areas play in the management of territories for the purpose of conserving biodiversity. The topic of the main European and national regulatory instruments will be addressed - National Biodiversity Strategy 2030 and the European Regulation on nature restoration - and how much they recognize the importance of the active involvement of citizens and local communities. Park rangers and ISPRA experts will also illustrate the important contribution made by protected natural areas to nature conservation and the dangers represented by the fragmentation and degradation of natural habitats.

ISPRA at the 26th edition of the Race for the Cure

From Thursday 8 to Sunday 11 May 2025, the largest event dedicated to the prevention and fight against breast cancer returns to Rome: the Race for the Cure, organized by the association “Susan G. Komen Italia”.
The event, which will be held at the Circo Massimo, includes four intense days of events and initiatives aimed at raising awareness and promoting health and well-being. During the same days, the Health Village will be operational, where free prevention tests and workshops to promote healthy lifestyles will be offered.

Green Med Expo & Symposium 2025

Green Med offers a rich agenda of events. Its identity-based symposium approach aims to promote dialogue, cooperation, and the exchange of know-how among the main players in the green economy landscape. 50 events between organizations, companies, and promoting institutions, over 100 speakers to address environmental challenges together and seize the opportunities of the ecological transition. Sharing but also specialized training for public administration, professionals, and professional orders with credit-granting courses.

A Plan for the Restoration of Nature

Following the entry into force of the Nature Restoration Law, Member States must develop a National Restoration Plan by September 2026. This document is of fundamental importance for the successful implementation of the Regulation. In order to understand the current situation at European level and how this plan will be built and governed at Italian level, Lipu and WWF Italy are organizing a meeting with the major European and National institutions that will intervene to outline an initial updated framework and future actions.

Far Festival 2025

From 8 to 11 May, the first edition of FarFEST will be held at the Nazzano Tevere-Farfa Regional Nature Reserve: 4 days dedicated to ecology, sustainability and biodiversity in the Nazzano Tevere Farfa Reserve.

Green Book 2025 - Data on waste management in Italy

The Green Book is the reference monograph for the urban waste sector in Italy. The 2025 edition offers the usual contextual overview, ranging from regulatory aspects to tariffs, up to the economic-financial performance of operators, and includes an updated examination of the tender documentation. A specific focus is dedicated to the theme of recycling chains and energy recovery of the unsorted fraction, fundamental elements to guarantee the closure of the waste cycle.

The value (not only environmental) of biodiversity

During the second stage of the Sustainable Development Festival, at the Palazzo Ducale in Genoa, ASviS organizes a debate between high-profile experts, representatives of institutions and stakeholders, on the centrality of biodiversity, not only in an environmental, but also economic and social perspective. Biodiversity, in fact, represents not only a heritage to be protected, as provided for by the Italian Constitution after the 2022 reform promoted by ASviS, but also a strategic resource for the economy and society.

At Rainews' Futuro24 the Presidential Estate of Castelporziano and the activities of ISPRA

The Presidential Estate of Castelporziano is a natural area that extends for 6000 hectares, reaching the coastline, and is just a few kilometers from the center of Rome. It is a unique territory, covered for a third by one of the few remaining examples of mixed lowland forest. The area is home to many animal species, representing a stopping point for many bird species. There is also a complex community of wild ungulates: roe deer, wild boar, fallow deer and red deer.

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

World Bee Day 2025

Bees and other pollinators, such as butterflies, bats and hummingbirds, are increasingly threatened by human activities.

Pollination is, however, a fundamental process for the survival of our ecosystems. Nearly 90% of the world's wild flowering plant species depend, entirely or at least in part, on animal pollination, along with over 75% of the world's food crops and 35% of global agricultural land. Pollinators not only contribute directly to food security, but are also essential for the conservation of biodiversity.

Monk Seal: Two Sightings in a Few Days

Over the past week, the monk seal, one of the species most at risk of extinction and strictly protected under the Habitats Directive, has been sighted in the waters between the Punta Campanella Marine Protected Area and the Site of Community Interest of the Island of Capri.

ISPRA and the AMP Punta Campanella have started a collaboration to monitor their presence through non-invasive techniques, starting with environmental DNA analysis. The main cause of the reduction in the monk seal population is attributed to voluntary killing by humans and accidental capture with some fishing gear. But also to the repeated disturbance due to excessive human proximity to the places where they rest or where they reproduce and care for their young along the coast, which pushes the animals to abandon the most suitable sites. Understanding which sites they frequent most is of crucial importance to implement conservation actions and ensure the survival of the species.

Finance, Business and Institutions: From Ambition to Action, the First Nature Strategies

On May 20, during the week of the International Day for Biodiversity proclaimed by the United Nations, the national event “Finance, businesses and institutions: from ambition to action, the first Nature Strategies” returns to Milan.

The event is promoted within the Business for Biodiversity Italy network, an initiative that guides businesses towards truly sustainable development models, placing biodiversity at the center of corporate strategies.

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.

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).

Parties conferences of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions

The Parties conferences of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS COP) will be held in Geneva from 28 April to 9 May. These are the three major multilateral environmental agreements that have as their common goal the protection of human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals and waste.

Energy efficiency strategies and advantages for SMEs

A meeting designed for Small and Medium Enterprises that will discuss how to improve corporate energy efficiency, identify and reduce waste, adopt strategies to optimize consumption and take advantage of available incentives. Environmental certifications will also be explored and concrete examples of companies that have already adopted effective solutions to improve their competitiveness and sustainability will be shared.

“…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.

#ObiettivoNatura:a shot to tell biodiversity!

The new photography column #ObiettivoNatura is starting on our Instagram profile @ispra_ambiente, an initiative designed to tell the story of the relationship between humans and the environment through the community's shots.

Every month will be proposed a different theme, to explore - with the watchful eye of photography - biodiversity and its many expressions, even in the most unexpected contexts.

The goal is to stimulate a conscious look at what surrounds us and enhance the bond with nature, in all its forms.

Participating is simple: go to our Instagram profile @ispra_ambiente, search for the post with the theme of the month and send us your photos via direct message.

The most beautiful images will be republished on our social channels.

Visit our profile Instagram

The biodiversity of the “Sentiero del bosco” mapped by students

Concluded the third edition of the Path for Transversal Skills and Orientation (PCTO) "Let's build a WebApp for monitoring species in the territory" promoted by the National Network for Biodiversity of ISPRA has concluded.

VI Summer School of Geomorphology, Ecology and Biology in marine and insular environments

The Summer School of Geomorphology, Ecology and Biology in Marine and Insular Environments was created with the aim of providing advanced training and scientific updating to master's students, doctoral students, researchers and technicians working in the environmental sector. The multidisciplinary training offer is developed through lectures and practical exercises, in the various themes of geological, biological and natural sciences applied to the coastal marine environment. Particular attention will be given to the new technologies used in the study of these ecosystems, characterized by high vulnerability and strongly influenced by the effects of climate change, given their position on the border between the marine and continental domains.