The Goletta dei Laghi campaign promoted by Legambiente returns to assess the state of health of our lakes. The editorial by Legambiente president Rossella Muroni.
Climate change and drought are two recurring themes in current news coverage as well. Despite there still being those who deny these tragic realities, the consequences of what is happening to the environment are now increasingly evident and tangible in every part of the world: in Italy we can see this, for example, in arid soils, in rivers and lakes that, as a result of the ongoing drought emergency, have seen their water levels drop, and in alpine glaciers that are slowly retreating.
Legambiente has for several years been drawing attention to these issues, and one of the tools it uses to monitor the territory and inform and raise awareness among people is Goletta dei Laghi, the travelling campaign that every summer monitors the state of health of Italy's lakes and entire lake ecosystems. The tour winds through six regions and eleven lakes, in search of the causes threatening the health of our lakes. Under observation are Sebino, Lario, Verbano, Ceresio, Benaco, Molveno, Trasimeno, Lago di Piediluco and the main lakes of Lazio — Bracciano, Bolsena and Albano.
Today Italy's lakes are increasingly threatened by climate change, pollution, the problem of inadequate wastewater treatment, excessive drinking-water abstraction (the withdrawal of water from natural cycles for use, among other things, through the aqueduct network), land consumption and the over-exploitation of water resources, all of which also endanger biodiversity and environmental and landscape heritage. Furthermore, around 60 per cent of lake waters are in an insufficient quality status relative to the targets set by European directives. These delays — together with those on wastewater treatment — will result in heavy fines as a consequence of the infringement proceedings brought by Europe against our country.
It is therefore important that integrated policies be launched addressing both the protection of water resources, guaranteeing their quality and quantity, and the safeguarding of the natural habitats of the lake and its shores. It is also essential that the commitments made under the Paris Agreement on climate be honoured, and that Italy adopts its national climate adaptation plan as soon as possible, bearing in mind that a smart adaptation policy can become a valuable and important opportunity to regenerate territories, suburbs and major urban centres.
The other challenge is to define a territorial network that also involves communities. The engagement of local populations is a very important piece of this puzzle, which is why Goletta dei Laghi, during its campaign running until the end of July, will once again involve volunteer citizens at each stage in citizen science activities — such as litter collection on lake beaches — with the aim of also forging a close relationship between scientific activity and volunteering. For the second year running, the Goletta dei Laghi campaign will also shine a spotlight on microplastic pollution in lake basins, an activity that will also cover the main tributary and outflow waterways and will be carried out using a special instrument for sample collection. Here too we will raise awareness and inform citizens, highlighting how the protection and sustainable management of the territory, combined with water quality, is also an important tool for promoting tourism that is increasingly sustainable and respectful of the environment.