Aree

In Italian seas there are 138 offshore platforms; 42 of them—mostly located in the central and northern Adriatic and mainly used for natural gas extraction—are covered by an environmental monitoring plan. Among the monitored chemical substances are barium and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

Barium is a metal used in the production of fluids required for drilling operations and it can be present in produced waters that are periodically discharged to the sea by platforms, while PAHs are chemical substances whose presence in the marine environment—besides natural factors—is linked to anthropogenic activities.

Barium and total PAH concentrations in surface sediments around platforms are environmental indicators of the pressure resulting from offshore gas field exploitation. Data available for 2008–2024 show a progressive decrease over time in the mean concentrations of these contaminants, with the highest concentrations generally detected close to the platforms.

Barium data are above the baseline reference value in the majority of sediment samples analysed in 2008–2014, whereas in 2015–2024 the share of exceedances is close to or below 50%. The percentage of sediment samples with total PAH concentrations above the limit value—an indicator of likely toxic effects on marine organisms—during 2009–2017 in some cases reaches 10–16% at stations 25 m from the platform, but decreases markedly at stations farther from the platform; during 2018–2024 exceedances of the reference value decrease further at all stations.

“Produced water” (also referred to as “formation water”) is one of the main effluents associated with the exploitation of hydrocarbon reservoirs in offshore marine environments and may potentially cause disruptive effects on ecosystems. The discharge of these effluents into the sea requires an authorisation, which is conditional upon the assessment of the results of annual monitoring of the environment surrounding the platform.

The number of platforms subject to environmental assessment of monitoring outcomes fluctuated between 2016 and 2024 due to variability in the number of discharge authorisation applications submitted, and it decreased in the most recent year. The number of platforms authorised each year declined from 2017 to 2021, then recovered up to 2023, before decreasing again in 2024 and dropping to zero in 2025; a similar trend is observed for the annual volume of produced water authorised for discharge into the sea.

The environmental conditions are requirements that may be imposed by the screening decision for EIA applicability, relating to the characteristics of the project or to the measures envisaged to avoid or prevent significant and adverse environmental impacts. In the period 2004–2024, an average of 6 environmental conditions per decision is recorded. Environmental conditions whose compliance verification has been assigned to the National System for Environmental Protection (SNPA) represent approximately 32.2% of cases over the period considered.

The indicator makes it possible to measure the capacity to minimize the environmental impact of the project subject to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) decision, by imposing binding and mandatory environmental conditions on both the construction and operation of the project. The indicator highlights the trend over the years of the total number and the average number, per decision, of environmental conditions included in EIA decisions.
In order to determine the indicator, all environmental conditions imposed by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE), the Ministry of Culture (MIC), the Regions and local authorities and included in EIA decisions were analysed, identifying those whose compliance verification falls under the responsibility of the National System for Environmental Protection (SNPA). In the period June 1989–2024, an average of 28 environmental conditions per decision is recorded, with a minimum of 6 in 1989 and a maximum of 72 in 2006.
 

The indicator represents the number of Integrated Environmental Authorization (AIA) provisions for active installations under state jurisdiction (overall review in compliance with art. 29-octies of Legislative Decree 152/06) issued by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Safety (MASE), compared to the number of proceedings initiated, aimed at issuing AIA provisions. Starting from 2016, the issuing of AIA provisions under state competence began in application of the Commission's implementing decisions of 9 October 2014 - 2014/738/EU, of 31 July 2017 - UE/2017/1442 and of 21 November 2017 - UE/2017/2117. From the analysis of the trend for the period 2016-2024 it can be seen that the percentage of AIA provisions issued by MASE on the total number of proceedings initiated is growing, reaching 97% in 2024, therefore approaching the objective of 100%. ISPRA has the task of ensuring technical-scientific support to the AIA-IPPC Commission for the releases of new AIAs, modifications and reviews of AIAs under state jurisdiction, as well as proposing, at the Conference of Services, the Monitoring and Control Plan (PMC), in accordance with paragraph 6 of the art. 29-quater of Legislative Decree 152/06. In 2024, as part of the technical-scientific support to the AIA-IPPC Investigation Commission for the releases, modifications and reviews of the AIA procedures initiated by the MASE (92), ISPRA drafted and sent to the MASE 105 Investigation Reports (RI) for the assessment of the completeness of the AIA application and for the definition of the Concluding Investigation Opinions (PIC) drawn up by the AIA-IPPC Commission, 3 Reports validation of the Reference Report and 66 Monitoring and Control Plans (PMC) an integral part of the AIA aimed at defining the monitoring and control methods of the plants and emissions in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 6 of the art. 29-sexies of Legislative Decree 152/06. The documents drawn up by ISPRA and transmitted to MASE also partly concern AIA proceedings initiated by MASE in previous periods. In 2024, the MASE issued 92 AIA provisions.

The indicator represents the number of directoral determinations for Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) Screening Procedures (VAV) under national jurisdiction, issued annually by the
Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE). It provides insight into the central Public
Administration's response to decision-making processes related to environmental assessments.
From 2004 to 2024, there were 678 determinations of non-subjection to EIA, while 155
determinations resulted in subjection to EIA. In 80% of cases, the screening procedure concluded
with a directoral determination of non-subjection to EIA.

The indicator illustrates the yearly trend in the number of projects under national jurisdiction subject to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), the distribution of the outcomes of environmental compatibility decisions over time, and their classification by project type. It reflects the response of the central public administration in environmental decision-making processes. In 2024, out of 247 assessed projects, 221 were issued positive EIA decisions with environmental conditions, and 26 received negative decisions.

Italian national legislation on environmental damage, regulated in Part Six of Legislative Decree No. 152/2006 (transposing Directive 2004/35/EC on environmental liability), designates the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE) as the sole competent authority for the prevention and remediation of environmental damage.
The Ministry operates through both judicial and administrative procedures, supported by the National Environmental Protection System (SNPA), which provides the necessary technical assistance.

In 2024, out of 455 reported criminal proceedings, the Ministry requested SNPA’s assistance in 67 cases to assess environmental damage. SNPA completed 64 technical-scientific assessments to support the Ministry’s decisions, including some cases from 2023 that were concluded in the following year.
The Ministry acted as a civil party in 6 cases, based on the technical reports provided by SNPA.

2024 shows a number of state-controlled installations subject to Integrated Environmental Authorization (IAA) in line with 2023.

The information concerns the supervisory and control activity that ISPRA carries out, as a Control Body and with the support of Regional Regional Agencies for the territorially competent environment (ARPA/APPA), at industrial installations subject to compliance with the Integrated Environmental Authorization of State competence.

The positive trend recorded in the years between 2009 and 2014, underwent a slight reversal in 2015 for reasons independent of control activity, and then settled between 2016 and 2017, increasing in 2018 (recording the maximum number of supervised installations), and decreasing until 2022 and finally stabilizing between 2022 and finally stabilizing between 2022 and 2024.

In 2024 the total number of supervised installations was 133, with a number of installations inspected equal to 58, of which 18 were intoxicated with AIA or 31%.

The indicator represents emissions in the refining sector, taking into account the three environmental components: air, water, and waste, particularly: airborne emissions of major pollutants such as SOx, NOx, CO, and particulates; emissions of polluting substances into water, such as COD (chemical oxygen demand), TSS (total suspended solids), phenols, and total hydrocarbons; the quantity of total waste, including hazardous and non-hazardous waste produced, and the waste recovery rate. Air emissions have decreased significantly over the past 10 years, thanks to the introduction of more restrictive limits in the AIA (Integrated Environmental Authorisation) measures and the implementation of BAT (Best Available Techniques). The largest reduction in polluting emissions in water is observed for the pollutant TSS, which has decreased by 84.8% between 2011 and 2023. The percentage of waste sent for recovery has increased, rising from 26.7% in 2011 to 42.7% in 2023. The improvements achieved in terms of reduction of polluting emissions in water and the percentage of waste sent for recovery can be attributed to the environmental management systems implemented by operators, based on the specific requirements of the Integrated Environmental Authorisations imposed by the MASE (Ministry of Environment and Energy Security), especially since 2018, the period of comprehensive reviews of AIA for refineries, and to the monitoring activities carried out by ISPRA for environmental monitoring, which is conducted during both regular and extraordinary inspection controls.