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Italian Network of Regional Geological Surveys: approved the results of 11 Thematic Boards

The Governing Council of the Italian Network of Geological Surveys (RISG) met on 4 June u.s. to monitor the activities of all 11 Thematic Boards just over a year after their establishment.

The Thematic Boards have been set up with the aim to develop strategic and operational activities on all geological disciplines for which regions and autonomous provinces are competent and to extend activities from specific regions to a wider national level, with a view to optimising and rationalising resources.

The main results include the refinancing of the CARG project with the identification of a first list of geological sheets to be launched by 2020, as defined by the Geological Cartography Board. Another noteworthy result was the creation of the new open source and open data platform for the consultation and sharing of data, maps, reports, documents of the Inventory of Landslide Phenomena in Italy (IFF), created by the relevant Board.

Other Thematic Boards have focused their activity on improving the sharing of data and information with the aim of enriching and integrating the national database and the services connected to it. Notable examples are the Board on active tectonics and capable faults, the Board on mining, and marine and coastal geology one. 

In some cases, the Thematic Boards have made considerations not only at a national level but also at a European one. An example of this is the Board on the consumption of soil: this group worked on defining a regulatory, technical and informative framework for the use, cover and consumption of land, with a view to impact territory monitoring activities at European level (Corine Land Cover). 

 

The Copernicus Board: operational geology services contributed as a network of users to a national and European ground motion service. It also secured funding for user training activities with the aim of making its services easily accessible. Finally, a new investigation group has been put in place through the Soil Defense Board, in the ReNDiS, which allows the regions to have a “triage” review process for requests of funding already presented but which require further study and investigation.

The opening of the Board to the participation of MATTM (Civil Protection and District Authorities) has heightened its value and increased its potential as a platform for technical discussion, also in relation to regulatory developments in the sector. 

Some critical issues also emerged, such as the clear discrepancy amongst regions in terms of organisation and human resources. This inevitably has had an impact on Board participation.

The Board of Directors positively assessed the work done by the 11 Thematic Boards despite the difficulties experienced during the COVID-19 emergency and approved the work plan presented for the next 12 months. The establishment of a new thematic board on Sinkholes has also been proposed.

Finally, the Board of Directors has appointed Andrea Motti, representative of the Umbria Region as Vice-President of the Board of Directors to replace Carlo Troisi who leaves the post for retirement reasons.