Ostreopsis cf. ovata is a potentially toxic benthic microalga, currently present in most Italian coastal regions with blooms that can lead to human intoxication phenomena and toxic effects on benthic marine organisms (states of distress or mortality). The continuous expansion along the Italian coasts of Ostreopsis cf. ovata, of its blooms and the associated health, environmental and economic issues, has led to the establishment of a monitoring surveillance program of the microalga starting from 2007. This activity is carried out annually in the summer season by the Regional Environmental Agencies (ARPA). The data so far provided by the ARPA, collected and processed by ISPRA, have clarified the distribution and trend of blooms at national and regional level. To date, the microalga has been detected at least once in the monitoring campaigns carried out so far in 12 out of 15 coastal regions. In 2023, Ostreopsis cf. ovata is present in 12 coastal regions, that is in 145/221 stations (68.7%), while it is absent in all samples taken along the coasts of Emilia-Romagna, Molise and Veneto.

The indicator describes the amount and distribution of total precipitation in Italy. In 2023, the annual cumulative precipitation in Italy was approximately 4% lower than the average value calculated over the 1991–2020 reference period.

The indicator illustrates electricity consumption in the tourism sector, identified by the ATECO category "Accommodation and Food Service Activities". In 2023, this sector accounted for 4.2% of total electricity consumption in Italy. When considering only accommodation activities—such as hotels, campsites, and other short-term lodging facilities—this share drops to 1.5%. In 2023, within the "accommodation" subcategory, 83.8% of electricity consumption was attributable to "hotels and similar establishments".

The indicator illustrates the national economy’s dependence on imports of various energy sources to meet its energy requirements. A reduction in the share of oil and an increase in the share of renewable energy sources contribute to a decrease in national energy dependency. Since 2007, a downward trend has been observed, with energy dependency falling from a peak of 85.5% in 2006 to a low of 75.1% in 2020. In 2021, the dependency rate rose to 76.9%, and continued to increase in 2022, reaching 78.7%.

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 measures the energy consumed by end users and the total energy consumed by the country. Since 1990, there has been a general upward trend in the energy available for final consumption, reaching a peak in 2005. This was followed by a reversal, with consumption declining to a minimum in 2014. From then until 2018, a recovery in final consumption was observed, followed by a decrease in 2019 and a sharp drop in 2020 due to the lockdown of economic activities aimed at containing the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Consumption then rebounded in 2021, before declining again in 2022. In 2022, the energy available for final consumption—calculated according to the methodology adopted by Eurostat—amounted to 112.0 Mtoe, a 6.9% decrease compared to 2021.

Final electricity consumption grew steadily from 1990 to 2008, then declined due to the economic crisis. From 2015, consumption resumed growth until stabilizing in 2017. Following the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, 2020 consumption dropped by 5.7% compared to the previous year, with a rebound of 6.2% in 2021. In 2022, consumption decreased by 1.8% compared to 2021, settling at 24.7 Mtep (million tonnes of oil equivalent). The industrial sector's share of consumption fell from 51.7% in 1990 to 38.9% in 2022, while the civil sector (residential and tertiary) increased from 43.2% to 55.6%. The agriculture and fisheries sector remained nearly constant at around 2%, and the transport sector, despite fluctuations, stayed stable at 3.1%.

In 2023, Italy experienced one of the hottest years in the last 150 years, second only to 2022. The average and maximum temperatures reached new records with October recording temperatures more than 3°C higher than the 1991-2021 average, marking the highest value since 1961. During the summer, intense heatwaves affected the country, with record temperatures of 48.2°C recorded on July 24 in Jerzu and Lotzorai in Sardinia, and 41.2°C in Rome in early August. Drought continued to be a significant problem, with Northern and Central Italy experiencing severe drought conditions in the first four months of the year, which later eased. However, in the last three months of the year, Sicily and parts of Ionian Calabria suffered from extreme drought with a significant precipitation deficit.
Extreme weather events affected several regions, causing severe damage. In May, Emilia-Romagna was devastated by two exceptional rainfall events, leading to flooding, landslides, and 17 fatalities. On November 2, heavy thunderstorms in Tuscany caused flooding and 8 deaths, with exceptional rainfall recorded in the provinces of Pisa, Livorno, Pistoia, and Prato.
In summary, 2023 was characterized by record temperatures, persistent drought, and extreme weather events that had a significant impact on various italian regions.

The indicator evaluates the demand for freight transport (also in relation to economic growth) and the evolution over time of modal split. The transport demand is increasingly met by road freight transport, which continues to dominate other transport modes in terms of growth and modal share (approximately 62% in 2023).

This indicator describes trends in cold extremes across Italy, specifically quantifying the number of frost days, defined as days with daily minimum air temperature less than or equal to 0°C. In 2023, a reduction of approximately 10 frost days was observed compared to the 1991–2020 climatological baseline.

The indicator represents projections of national greenhouse gas emissions up to 2040, based on the current policies scenario as of 31/12/2022, including those implemented under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), as well as the additional policies and measures scenario defined in the Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan (INECP). The scenarios are calculated starting from the most recent consolidated historical data for 2022, and reflect the expected evolution of key macroeconomic drivers as reported to the European Commission. The projected reductions in total greenhouse gas emissions (including LULUCF) by 2030, compared to 1990 levels, are estimated at -38% under the current policies scenario and -49% under the additional measures scenario.

The analysis of the contribution of different primary energy sources to gross inland energy consumption shows that the dominant role of petroleum products is declining, while natural gas (37.9% of the total in 2022) and renewable sources (19.0% of the total in 2022) are increasing. Greater diversification and the growing role of renewables have a positive impact on Italy’s energy self-sufficiency level, which remains among the lowest in industrialized countries.

The indicator provides an overview of the health status of common migratory passerine bird populations in Europe by assessing their resilience to climate change. Rising spring temperatures due to global warming trigger an earlier onset of vegetation growth which in turn leads to, an earlier peak in insect availability. If migratory birds do not adjust their arrival at breeding sites accordingly, they may struggle to find sufficient prey to feed their chicks. A failure to anticipate migration timing translates into lower resilience to climate change, ultimately threatening population survival.

This study examines the temporal variation in the arrival dates of migratory passerines at stopover sites used after crossing the Sahara and the Mediterranean Sea during their spring migration from Africa to European breeding grounds. Based on the analysis of migration timing for 10 bird species recorded at 26 ringing stations participating in ISPRA’s Piccole Isole Project over a 36-year period (1988–2023), the study found that 40% of the species exhibitmigration shifts that are too slow (advancing by only about one day every seven or more years) to effectively counteract the impacts of climate change. 

The indicator describes the trend of intense heat events in Italy. A heat wave is defined as an event lasting at least 6 consecutive days during which the maximum temperature exceeds the 90th percentile of the daily maximum temperature distribution for the same period of the year over the 30-year climatological reference period. The indicator counts the number of days characterized by such heat waves in a given year. In 2023, an increase of approximately 29 heat wave days was observed compared to the average value calculated over the reference 30-year period (1991–2020).

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 describes the trend of mean temperature in Italy.
The increase in mean temperature recorded in Italy over the last thirty years has often exceeded the global average over land. In 2023, the mean temperature anomaly in Italy, relative to the 1991–2020 climatological baseline, was +1.14 °C—higher than the global land surface anomaly of +0.86 °C. In Italy, 2023 ranked as the second warmest year in the entire annual time series starting from 1961. Since 2000, temperature anomalies relative to the 1991–2020 baseline have consistently been positive, except for four years (2004, 2005, 2010, and 2013).

Ocean warming is causing a geographical and depth shift in marine species more sensitive to temperature changes. In temperate zones, such as the Mediterranean, this phenomenon results in a northward expansion of warm-affinity species. Consequently, the composition of marine communities changes, affecting commercial fishery landings.

The mean temperature of the catch (MTC), which is the average inferred temperature preference of the exploited species weighted by their annual landings, is an index that has been used for evaluating the effect of sea warming on fisheries catches and marine ecosystems (Cheung et al., 2013).

Adriatic Sea (FAO Division 37.2.1): The mean temperature of the catch increased from 19.2°C (1987–1996 average) to 20.1°C (2012–2022 average), with a significant annual increase of 0.03°C.

Ionian Sea – Central Mediterranean (FAO Division 37.2.2): The mean temperature of the catch increased from 20.3°C (1987–1996 average) to 22.3°C (2012–2022 average), with a significant annual increase of 0.07°C.

Sardinian Sea – Western Mediterranean (FAO Division 37.1.3): The mean temperature of the catch increased from 20.5°C (1987–1996 average) to 22.5°C (2012–2022 average), with a significant annual increase of 0.07°C.

The indicator measures passenger transport demand (according to different modes) and compares its trend with that of economic growth and population. Transport demand is increasingly met by individual road transport (passenger cars and motorcycles), which, due to its growth and modal share (approximately 81% in 2023), remains dominant compared to other transport modes.

In 2022, 1.1 million tons of special waste were sent for incineration, of which approximately 699,000 tons (63% of the total) were non-hazardous and over 409,000 tons (37% of the total) were hazardous. The total number of plants that received special waste is 70, 27 of which are primarily authorized for the treatment of municipal waste. The majority of these plants are located in the North (43), with 7 in the Center and 20 in the South. In line with the distribution of the incineration plant fleet, the majority of special waste is treated in plants located in the North (83.9% of the total, over 929,000 tons), followed by the Southern regions with 13.8% (over 153,000 tons) and the Central regions with 2.3% (25,000 tons). 

The indicator measures the quantity of special waste treated in production plants across the country, used either partially or entirely as a substitute for traditional fuels. In 2022, more than 1.8 million tons of special waste were recovered in co-incineration plants. Compared to 2021, the quantities of energy recovered are substantially stable, showing a slight decrease of about 1,000 tons (-0.1%). The regional distribution shows that the majority of special waste, 75.4% of the total, is recovered in the Northern regions, followed by the Central regions with 12.8% and the Southern regions with 11.8%. 

The ratio of final energy consumption to total energy consumption measures the overall efficiency of converting energy from primary sources. The difference between these two values corresponds to losses in conversion processes (such as electricity generation and oil refining), internal consumption of power plants, and distribution losses. From 1990 to 2022, the average ratio in our country (70.6%) has been higher than the European average (62.6%). In recent years, a significant increase in the ratio has been observed.

In 2020, the share of energy from renewable sources in Italy reached 20.4% of gross final energy consumption, exceeding the national target of 17% set for 2020. In 2021, the share decreased to 18.9%, and in 2022 it slightly rose to 19.1%, recording an increase of 0.2 percentage points compared to the previous year.

The indicator describes the trend in extreme heat events in Italy, specifically representing the number of days with a maximum daily air temperature exceeding 25 °C. In 2023, an increase of approximately 19 summer days was observed compared to the climatological average for the 1991–2020 reference period.

Comparison within the European Union highlights that Italy's primary and final energy intensity remains below the European average. This is largely due to historical lack of domestic primary energy sources, —which has fostered energy-saving behaviours, efficient infrastructure, and a relatively low energy-intensive production structure—as well as a high level of energy taxation (which has raised end-user energy prices above those in other countries), lower per capita income, and a relatively mild climate. Based on a ranking of countries by increasing primary energy intensity, Italy ranks 7th among European nations.

The indicator describes the trend in extreme heat events in Italy, specifically representing the number of days with a minimum daily air temperature exceeding 20 °C. In 2023, an increase of approximately 14 tropical nights was observed compared to the climatological average for the 1991–2020 reference period.

The indicator describes the trend in extreme heat events in Italy, specifically representing the number of days with a daily maximum air temperature exceeding 35 °C. In 2023, an increase of approximately 7 extremely hot days was observed compared to the climatological average for the 1991–2020 reference period.

White Certificates, also known as “Energy Efficiency Titles” (EET) were introduced by Ministerial Decree of 24 April 2001 to promote the implementation of energy efficiency measures in end-use sectors to meet national energy savings targets for obligated parties. TEE are tradable securities that certify energy savings achieved in energy end-use through the implementation of specific interventions to increase energy efficiency. Each certificate represents a saving equivalent to one tonne of oil equivalent (toe). The White Certificates (WC) mechanism has been gradually modified over the years, in line with legislative developments. In the 2006-2023 period, additional primary energy savings equal to approximately 29.3 Mtoe were certified and 58.5 million energy efficiency certificates were recognised.

The indicator is calculated for a limited sample of Alpine glaciers and represents the algebraic sum of ice mass gained through snowfall accumulation and mass lost through melting during the ablation period. Glacier mass balance data provide a fundamental measure for assessing the "health status" of glaciers.

Analysis of data from 1995 to 2023 shows that, for the glaciers considered collectively, the cumulative mass balance exhibits significant losses, ranging from nearly 25 meters water equivalent for the Basòdino glacier to over 50 meters water equivalent for the Caresèr glacier, corresponding to an average annual mass loss exceeding one meter water equivalent.

The indicator is based on the ratio between atmospheric greenhouse gas emissions and final energy consumption by sector. The average value of emission intensities shows a difference between sectors related to the varying adoption of renewable sources. Overall, the emission intensity for final uses has decreased by 25.1% from 1990 to 2022.

The indicator represents, over the period 1990-2022, the trend of greenhouse gas emissions in Italy per capita and relative to GDP. A decrease is observed for both, accentuated by the growth of the population and GDP, which highlights a decoupling between drivers and pressures.