ISPRA's new report on hydrogeological instability in Italy
The fourth ISPRA (Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research) report on hydrogeological instability in Italy was officially presented before prominent political and institutional representatives. A valuable guide for administrators at all levels, as well as for citizens, it captures the current situation of a country structurally fragile in the face of certain risks. This mixed report demonstrates how, in just four years, areas at risk of landslides have increased by 15%: an increase concentrated primarily in regions such as Tuscany, Sardinia, Sicily, and the Autonomous Province of Bolzano. This figure is also rising due to the effects of climate change, which are exacerbating an already delicate situation.
Therefore, an increase in areas at risk of flooding or inundation, as well as avalanches in mountainous regions, is inevitable due to constantly rising average temperatures. Another problem is coastal erosion, although overall there is good news: the advance of the coastline exceeds the total kilometers subject to erosion. The ISPRA report on hydrogeological instability becomes increasingly accurate and timely every year, thanks in part to technological advances, from satellite surveys to artificial intelligence, which enable significantly more effective monitoring.
"Today we present the fourth report on hydrogeological instability, which further highlights the fragility of our territory. We're talking about 94.5% of Italian municipalities being at risk of landslides, floods, avalanches, and coastal erosion, and 19.2% of the territory being classified as having the highest risk of landslides and floods. Furthermore, we have 1.28 million inhabitants living in areas at risk of landslides and 6.8 million inhabitants living in areas at risk of floods," said Maria Siclari, Director General of ISPRA. "However, it must be said that, even though our territory remains fragile (we have recorded over 636,000 landslides), it is a territory that continues to be monitored. And this monitoring will also help us implement measures to mitigate hydrogeological risk."
"We must continue to build knowledge, and we are doing so through the publication of these reports. We need to work hard on prevention, participatory and informed prevention by citizens, not just institutions," explained Stefano Laporta, president of ISPRA. "We must also work with local authorities to implement urban planning that takes into account the fragility of our territory. Finally, there is the impact of climate change, which must also be considered in the regulation and maintenance of waterways."
"Italy's terrain is naturally predisposed to landslides. Consider that 75% of the country is mountainous and hilly, and therefore the entire Alpine and Apennine ranges are naturally predisposed to landslides," explained Carla Iadanza, a researcher at ISPRA. "In recent years, we've also been seeing the effects of climate change, with an increase in short, intense rainfall events that are leading to increased surface landslides, rapid mudslides, and high-altitude instability, linked to the degradation of permafrost caused by rising temperatures."