The 13th annual conference of the Italian Society for Climate Sciences (SISC) took place in Salerno from 22 to 24 October 2025. The theme was ‘Innovation in Climate Research for Societal Transformation‘. Endorsed by the European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists (EAERE), the conference brought together leading experts from Italian and international universities, national agencies, regional authorities, and research centres.
Spanning three days, the event featured intense debates and exchanges and welcomed over 150 participants, including representatives from key institutions such as the Euro-Mediterranean Centre on Climate Change (CMCC Foundation), the Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), the National Research Council of Italy (CNR), the Regional Environmental Protection Agencies (ARPAs) and the National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA). Representatives from universities such as Sapienza University of Rome, the University of Bologna, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, and the Polytechnic University of Milan were also present.
Of the abstracts submitted, one that was selected for an oral presentation was co-written by Riccardo Bresciani, Ilaria Principi, Anacleto Rizzo and Fabio Masi (IRIDRA), Nicoletta Denaro (University of Catania), and Barbara Sarnari, Vito Azzara, and Vittoria Pennacchio (SVI.MED.).
Barbara Sarnari, Vice-President of SVI.MED., delivered the presentation, focusing on the Living Green Wall installed at Ferla public school in Sicily, which is currently being monitored as part of CARDIMED’s sub-DEMO 4.2.
Titled “Urban Green Infrastructures and Co-Design: Integrated Strategies for Climate Resilience in Sicily”, the presentation explored how the Living Green Wall in Ferla serves as a full-scale pilot for greywater reuse, urban cooling and the participatory regeneration of public spaces. The presentation also illustrated how this local initiative contributes to regional planning tools, offering guidance on the integration of sustainable drainage systems and nature-based solutions into Sicily’s Standard Building Regulation (RET).
There was strong interest in CARDIMED and its sub-DEMO 4.2, confirming the relevance of place-based, community-driven solutions in addressing climate challenges across the Mediterranean.
