8° Programma di azione per l’Ambiente Europeo (8° EAP)

Italy hosts a remarkable floristic heritage, both in terms of species and subspecies richness (2,815 lichens, 1,209 bryophytes, and 8,241 native vascular entities) and biogeographical value. Of the 8,241 Italian vascular plant,1,702 species (equal to 20.65%) are endemic, meaning they exist exclusively in the country. Among these, 1,128 species are regionally endemic, with their range restricted to a single Italian region (data updated to April 2024).

The indicator also highlights the IUCN risk status of 2,430 vascular plant entities (representing 29.5% of Italy’s vascular flora), identifying the main threats affecting them. Unfortunately, the overall conservation status cannot be considered satisfactory: 2.2% (54 species) of the 2,430 evaluated entities are extinct or likely extinct; 24.3% (590 species) are at risk of extinction.

Human-induced pressures related to land-use changes represent a major driver of plant species extinction risk. The Red List of vascular flora identifies the most critical pressures affecting species: Modification of natural systems (39% of the 2,430 assessed taxa are subject to this pressure);

Agricultural development (27%); Residential development (27%); Direct human disturbance in natural environments (20%).

The indicator provides an overview of the current presence of alien animal and plant species in Italy through quantitative data, showing the temporal trends of introduction in Italy over the last century, the average annual introduction rate (average number of new alien species introduced each year), the  pathways (according to CBD categories), and the distribution of invasive alien species of Union concern. The number of alien species in Italy is progressively and constantly increasing. Based on currently available data, nearly 3,800 exotic species have been introduced into our country, of which 3,659 are currently present in the territory. The average number of species introduced per year has increased exponentially over time, increasing from 6 species/year in the 1970s to 16 species/year in the last decade,reaching nearly 30 species/year in the current decade. The cumulative number of species introduced in Italy since 1900 also confirms this exponential trend, with an increase of over 500% in 120 years.

Territorial fragmentation is the process that leads to a progressive reduction in the area of natural and semi-natural environments and an increase in their isolation. This process, which transforms large land patches into smaller and more isolated parts, is primarily driven by urban expansion phenomena, which can take more or less sustainable forms, and the development of infrastructure networks aimed at improving connections between urbanized areas through linear works. In 2023, 42.34% of the national territory was classified as highly and very highly fragmented. The regions with the largest areas of very high fragmentation are Veneto (39.98%), Lombardia (33.57%), Emilia-Romagna (25.87%), and Campania (25.69%). This data confirms the strong correlation between fragmentation and urbanization density.

During the 2007-2022 period, the majority of the assessed fish stocks are in a state of overexploitation: the fishing-induced mortality is higher than that necessary for a sustainable exploitation of the resources in the long term under average environmental conditions.

In the 2020-2022 triennium, the lowest values in the historical series were recorded, with approximately 60% of stocks classified as overexploited, indicating a relative improvement.

This indicator, based on internationally validated analytical stock assessments, reflects the overall trend in the exploitation status of commercially fished stocks, highlighting the condition of harvested resources. The indicator is also associated with the percentage coverage of landed fish stocks for which stock assessments are available. The analysis is conducted at both the national and subregional levels, following the geographic division defined by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.

The indicator provides information about the major landslide events caused fatalities, injuries, evacuations, damage to buildings, cultural heritage, and primary linear communication infrastructure or service networks in the national territory in the past year. The major landslide events occurred in 2023 were 192, with 11 deaths, 24 injuries, and damage mainly to the road network and buildings.

The indicator provides information about the landslide number and distribution in Italy. The recorded landslides exceed 635,000 (reference period 1116-2024) and affect an area of 25,004 km², accounting for 8.3% of the national territory.

The indicator analyzes the distribution of large and small dams in relation to the seismic classification of the national territory (Map of seismic zones OPCM March 20, 2003, n. 3274 and subsequent integrations), the Landslide Index of the IFFI Project (Italian Landslide Inventory), and the distribution of landslide-prone areas. For the year 2024, the indicator shows that the water surface of artificial and heavily modified natural lakes (the water perimeter for large and small dams) in areas with a null Landslide Index (IF) constitutes 71.6%, while only 1.8% falls in areas with a higher IF (IF>30). In terms of seismic activity, 7.4% of large dams and 2.2% of small dams are are located in the most dangerous area (seismic zone 1), while 20.6% and 11.9%, respectively, are in the least dangerous area (seismic zone 4). Due to incomplete data on the distribution of small reservoirs at the national level, the result is considered partial.

The indicator evaluates the pressures on the environment and the efficiency of resources used by the economy to generate wealth, as well as its progress toward achieving a circular economy. In 2022, the ratio of national waste production to gross domestic product (GDP) was slightly above the European average (66 kg/1,000€ vs. 60 kg/1,000€). Overall, the economic system still appears unable to limit waste production in relation to the wealth produced. 

The European Commission has adopted the European Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 (SEB 2030, COM(2020) 380 final), which sets the objective for Member States to protect at least 30% of their national territory and 30% of their seas, with at least one-third of these areas being strictly protected. These objectives are also incorporated into the National Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 (SNB 2030).

The indicator integrates spatial data from the main biodiversity protection systems existing in Italy (protected areas and the Natura 2000 Network), calculating the current protected surface both on land and at sea. It evaluates the variation from 1991 to 2023 and highlights the gap between the percentage of protected land and marine areas and the 30% target set by SEB 2030. The data used to calculate the extent of the protected area come from CDDA and the Natura 2000 database. Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECM) are not included, as the types of areas that may fall within this category have not yet been defined.

As of today, the total national coverage of protected areas, after accounting for overlaps between protected areas and Natura 2000 sites, is approximately 4,068,476 hectares at sea, equivalent to 11.62% of Italian territorial waters and the Ecological Protection Zone (ZPE), and about 6,532,341 hectares on land, covering 21.68% of the national territory. The extent of overlapping areas, i.e., those falling within both a protected area and a Natura 2000 site, has increased over time, reaching 862,631 hectares at sea and 2,447,046 hectares on land in 2023. The trends indicate that the percentage of protected national surface has stabilized since 2006 for marine areas and since 2011 for land areas. To meet the 30% target set by SEB 2030, an additional 18% of marine areas (approximately 6,600,000 hectares) and 8% of land areas (approximately 2,500,000 hectares) still need to be protected.

The number of areas and the extent of protected marine surface have steadily increased over time. Currently, Italy has 39 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), established in 10 Italian regions; of these, 29 are Marine Protected Areas (AMPs). Sicily and Sardinia are the regions with the highest number of marine protected areas, both in terms of quantity and protected marine surface.

Between 2012 and 2019, the national surface area of MPAs increased by 1.9%, thanks to the establishment in 2018 of two Marine Protected Areas: Capo Testa - Punta Falcone in Sardinia and Capo Milazzo in Sicily.

In Italy, as of today, 843 terrestrial protected areas (including those with a marine component) have been established, covering a total protected surface of over 3 million hectares, which corresponds to approximately 10.5% of the national terrestrial area. Analyzing the historical series (1922-2019), it is possible to observe, especially from the mid-1970s onward, a positive trend in terms of both the number and surface area of terrestrial protected natural areas. However, since 2008-2009, there has been a certain stabilization in the growth trends.