Biodiversity and natural capital

This indicator provides a national overview of the conservation status of 268 breeding bird species assessed in the reporting under Article 12 of the Birds Directive 2009/147/EC. The assessment includes species of community interest listed in Annexes I and II of the Directive, as well as those that justify the designation of Special Protection Areas (SPAs).

At the national level, the percentage of species with a favourable conservation status increased from 51% (reporting period 2007-2012) to 56% (reporting period 2013-2018). However, this increase was insufficient to meet the target set by the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2020 (76%).

The short-term population trends, which reflect processes occurring in the last decade, indicate that 46% of species are increasing or stable, while nearly 25% of species are in decline (the population trend of the other 33% remains unknown). Regarding short-term trends in distribution range, the proportion of declining species is lower, as only the most severe declines result in range contractions: 21% of species show a contraction, while the remaining 79% have stable or expanding ranges.

The indicator illustrates the conservation status and trends of Italian species protected under Directive 92/43/EEC (Habitats Directive) and is based on the summary results of the 4th Italian report for the period 2013-2018, submitted to the European Commission in 2019. The report covers a total of 349 species (232 animal species and 117 plant species) of Community interest present in our territory and seas. In the 4th report, a total of 337 distribution maps and 619 reporting forms were produced (one for each species in every biogeographical region where it is present). The 2019 assessments show that over half of the terrestrial and inland water species, 54% of the flora, and 53% of the fauna, as well as 22% of the species evaluated in the marine context, have an unfavourable conservation status (inadequate or poor). A comparison between the two most recent reporting periods (2007-2012 and 2013-2018) reveals no improvements in the conservation status of the species. The only positive signal is the increase in knowledge, with a decrease in cases where the conservation status was unknown. The indicator highlights the urgent need for greater commitment to the conservation of species protected by the Habitats Directive, in relation to the target of the European Biodiversity Strategy to 2030, which sets out that at least 30% of species and habitats in unfavourable conservation status should improve their status by 2030 or show at least a trend of improvement.

The Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) is one of the main pillars of the European Union's nature conservation policy. This indicator is based on data provided by Italy for the periodic reporting required of Member States under Article 17 of the Directive. The report provides a general summary of the Italy’s Fourth Report, referring to data from monitoring activities conducted by regions and autonomous provinces during the 2013–2018 period. Specifically, it highlights the overall conservation status observed for terrestrial and inland water habitats across the national territory, as well asthe distribution of conservation status across the Italian biogeographical regions. Additionally, the report outlines the number of assessments to be conducted by individual regions and autonomous provinces for habitat monitoring, providing an estimate of the expected workload.

The trend compared to the previous reporting cycle is negative, showing a decrease in favorable assessments. Currently, only 8% of cases are classified as having a favorable conservation status, while 49% are deemed inadequate and 40% poor. This indicates a generally critical situation, further distancing Italy from achieving the objectives set by the Directive.

The phenomenon of forest fires analyzed based on data collected from 1970 to 2023 by the State Forestry Corps, now CUFA (Carabinieri Forestry, Environmental and Agri-food Unit Command), shows a fluctuating trend, with peak years (1993, 2007, 2017, 2021) alternating with years of decline (2013, 2014, 2018). The presence of fires within Protected Areas is high, with exceptionally large burned areas recorded in certain years, such as 2021 and 2022, when 26,507 hectares and 11,101 hectares were affected by fire, respectively.

The incidence of intentional fires is very high, accounting for approximately half of all recorded events and exceeding 60% in some years (2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020).

The indicator analyzes the extent of forest areas affected by wildfires at the national, regional, and protected area scales between 2018 and 2023. The distribution and the surface of burned forested areas show significant annual variability. The 2023 ranks as the worst year after 2021, which was an exceptional year in terms of wildfire-affected forest ecosystems within the analyzed time series.

In 2023, the most affected regions were Sicily (10,080 hectares) and Calabria (2,987 hectares), which together accounted for 83% of the total forest nationwide area affected by wildfires. The most impacted forest classes are the evergreen forests (holm oak forests and Mediterranean scrub), followed to a much lesser extent by deciduous mixed forests (oaks and beech forests) and coniferous forests (pine, fir and larch forests).

Although the time series covers a short period, a linear regression analysis of the national forest cover affected by wildfires indicates an increasing trend. A statistically significant increasing trend has also been calculated for the regions of Sicily, Calabria, Apulia, and Aosta Valley over the considered period. A positive trend has also been observed for Regional Nature Reserves and those included in the Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) within the Natura 2000 Network.

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.

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.

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 Natura 2000 Network in Italy consists of 2,646 sites, covering a total area, net of overlaps, of 5,845,078 hectares on land, equivalent to 19.4% of the national territory, and 2,301,047 hectares at sea, corresponding to 6.4% of territorial waters (data updated to December 2023). A total of 643 Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and 2,364 Sites of Community Importance-Special Areas of Conservation (SCI-SACs) have been designated (of which 361 are SCI-SACs coinciding with SPAs). In December 2022, the sites numbered 2,639, with an increase of 7 units in the past year and an expansion of 163 hectares on land and 229,358 hectares at sea. The coverage percentages of the Natura 2000 Network vary across Italian regions and autonomous provinces, ranging from 12% to 36% on land and from less than 1% to 30% at sea.

The national coverage of the Network is significant in relation to the targets of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 (SEB2030), which calls for expanding protected areas in the EU to reach at least 30% of terrestrial and 30% of marine areas. The SEB2030 target includes all areas subject to protection measures, such as Natura 2000 sites, National and Regional Parks, and other protected areas. At the regional level, Abruzzo and Valle d’Aosta meet the SEB2030 target, with Natura 2000 sites covering 36% and 30% of their territories, respectively. Other regions approaching the target include the Autonomous Province of Trento (28%), Molise (27%), Campania (27%), and Liguria (26%). The protection percentages of Natura 2000 marine sites are lower, with only Puglia (30%) and Tuscany (27%) having protection levels close to the target.

In order to assess whether protected areas have been designated based on scientific criteria, including ecologically representative areas (Margules & Pressey, 2000; Maxwell et al., 2020), the overlap between terrestrial protected areas in our country and Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA, IUCN, 2016) has been calculated. The protected areas considered include those in the data bank of the Common Database on Designated Areas (CDDA) (now Nationally designated areas of Europe - NatDA), and the Natura 2000 Network. KBAs identify key areas for biodiversity conservation and, according to the European Commission’s guidance document on achieving the 30% target ("Criteria and guidance for protected areas designations," Brussels, 28/1/2022), are among those to be considered for designation as protected areas. The indicator used corresponds to the one adopted internationally to evaluate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030 (SO4-3.T1: National estimates of the average proportion of Terrestrial KBAs covered by protected areas in %).

The results indicate that, after accounting for overlaps between CDDA protected areas and Natura 2000 sites, 75.20% of the national terrestrial protected area overlaps with KBAs identified at the national level, demonstrating a fair inclusion of important biodiversity areas.

The Italian fauna is estimated to include over 58,000 species, with the total number reaching approximately 60,000 taxa when considering subspecies. However, this biodiversity is under threat, as indicated by IUCN assessments and population trends. Among the 672 species of Italian vertebrates (576 terrestrial and 96 marine), 6 are extinct in Italy, and 161 are threatened with extinction (accounting for 28% of the assessed species). Different vertebrate groups show varying percentages of risk: 2% for marine bony fish, 19% for reptiles, 21% for cartilaginous fish, 23% for mammals, 36% for amphibians, and up to 48% for freshwater bony fish (considering the CR+EN+VU IUCN categories). Additionally, terrestrial and marine vertebrate populations are generally declining by 27% and 22%, respectively.

Breeding birds are the only group for which two IUCN assessments have been conducted, seven years apart. Of the 278 species assessed in the latest 2019 evaluation, 5 are extinct, and 67 are threatened (compared to 76 in 2013), representing 26% of the evaluated species. Half of Italy's breeding bird species are not at immediate risk of extinction.

Among invertebrates, 9% of corals, 11% of dragonflies, 21% of saproxylic beetles, 6% of butterflies, and 11% of assessed bees are threatened with extinction. Invertebrates also show negative trends; for example, 16% of dragonfly populations are in decline, five times higher than those increasing.

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.

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.