11-06-2026

How can Italy build a national strategy for the prevention of hydrogeological risks, moving beyond the current emergency-driven approach?

This was the topic discussed during the roundtable “Hydrogeological Instability: From the Niscemi Case to a National Risk Prevention Strategy”, hosted by the Almaviva Group as part of the National Day dedicated to “Energy Transition, Water Resources, and the Circular Economy”. The event was organized by Task Force Italia at the CEO for LIFE ClubHouse Montecitorio in Rome.

Antonio Amati, Deputy CEO of the IT Division at the Almaviva Group, opened the discussion: "The Niscemi case cannot be regarded as an isolated incident. We must shift from an emergency-driven approach to a structured planning framework based on continuous prevention systems, integration among institutions, expertise, and technologies, and a paradigm shift in land management - moving from simply observing events to having the ability to anticipate them through data, models, and predictive systems.

Thanks to the investments launched under the NRRP, a number of important projects have been carried out. However, a further leap in quality is needed: coherent and consistent systems capable of providing ongoing solutions to the needs of local communities.

Prevention must become the cornerstone of a new national strategy. To achieve this objective, collaboration between the public and private sectors must be strengthened in order to ensure sustainable land management."

Among the speakers, Franco Masenello, CEO of Almaviva Bluebit, emphasized: “From 2014 to 2025, the economic damage caused by hydrogeological instability reached approximately €100 billion.

The challenge is to build integrated platforms capable of identifying at-risk areas, populations, and infrastructure in advance, thereby supporting timely decision-making and increasing the safety and resilience of local communities.

Through a central platform integrated with sensors, satellite imagery, and a technical infrastructure dedicated to data monitoring and analysis, we can identify in advance which homes, businesses, and communities may be at risk.

The goal is to gradually build an increasingly comprehensive information base capable of anticipating events, reducing economic losses, safeguarding people, infrastructure, and businesses, and generating tangible benefits for communities."