Biodiversity, 28% of vertebrates in Italy at risk of extinction
State of the Environment reports: the challenges in our country and the difficulties in Europe
Italian biodiversity, one of the richest in Europe, continues to be under pressure: only 8% of natural habitats are in a favourable state of conservation, while 28% of vertebrate species and 24% of vascular plants assessed are at risk of extinction. Land consumption remains a critical issue: in 2024, 7,850 hectares were lost, equivalent to 21.5 hectares per day. The climate side is a cause for concern: 2024 was the hottest year in the series since 1961. Alpine glaciers observed are losing mass at a sustained rate and the rise in sea level, albeit by a few millimetres per year, is continuous and therefore requires attention. Per capita economic losses due to extreme events have increased fivefold in seven years, since 2017 Italy has been steadily above the European average.
Biodiversità, consumo del suolo e clima sono le sfide ancora aperte per l’Italia, un Paese che si conferma leader nell’economia circolare, con un tasso di utilizzo circolare dei materiali che ha raggiunto il 20,8% nel 2023, quasi il doppio della media UE (11,8%), collocando l’Italia al secondo posto nella Ue. L’Italia inoltre riduce le emissioni di gas serra (-26,4% tra 1990 e 2023) e fa crescere l’agricoltura biologica. Nel Paese aumenta il consumo di energia da fonti rinnovabili, che supera il traguardo 2020 e punta al 38,7% entro il 2030. Sul fronte della qualità ambientale, l’Italia mostra risultati contrastanti: da un lato un aumento dei corpi idrici superficiali in stato chimico buono, che raggiungono il 78% dei fiumi, dall’altro nonostante l’inquinamento atmosferico presenti un generale miglioramento, avvicinandosi al rispetto dei valori limite di legge, si necessita di ulteriori interventi per raggiungere pienamente i valori di riferimento Oms.
The context is that of a Europe that remains a world leader in climate efforts: it is reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the use of fossil fuels, while doubling the share of renewable energy since 2005. It is making significant strides on air quality, the circular economy and resource efficiency, but is struggling on biodiversity and climate. All ecosystems - terrestrial, freshwater and marine - are in crisis due to persistent pressures from unsustainable production and consumption patterns. Europe is also the fastest warming continent on the entire planet.
The overall scenario emerges from the presentation of three tools: the European Environment Agency's Europe's Environment 2025 report, the Ispra report State of the Environment in Italy 2025: Indicators and Analyses, and the Snpa Environment report. Together, these indicators guarantee consistency, comparability and transparency, making it possible to monitor progress and measure the effectiveness of public policies. And the road, as is pointed out, is still long.
