Publishing date: 16 October 2026 Immagine notizia Immagine Paragrafo The 2026 Salvatore Furia Ecology Award – City of Varese, promoted by the Municipality of Varese, the G.V. Schiaparelli Astronomical Society, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre in Ispra, the University of Insubria and ARPA Lombardia, will be awarded this year to Enrico Giovannini, an economist and statistician, Full Professor at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, former government minister and former President of the Italian National Institute of Statistics (Istat), as well as co-founder and Scientific Director of the Italian Alliance for Sustainable Development (ASviS).The award recognises his scientific, institutional and cultural commitment to promoting the United Nations 2030 Agenda and a vision of sustainable development that integrates environmental protection, social justice and responsibility towards future generations.The award ceremony will take place on Thursday, 5 November. At 3 pm, the traditional tree-planting ceremony dedicated to the award winner will be held at Villa Baragiola. At 9 pm, the official award ceremony will take place at Salone Estense in Varese. Admission is free. The evening will also feature the presentation of the Mario Pavan Award, given to a young researcher for a doctoral thesis in a scientific field focusing on sustainability.The details of the 2026 edition were presented by Nicoletta San Martino, Varese City Councillor for Environmental Protection; Luca Molinari of the Schiaparelli Astronomical Society; Adriano Martinoli of the University of Insubria; researcher Sandra Coecke of the Joint Research Centre in Ispra; and Fabio Carella of ARPA Lombardia.“There is one aspect of Salvatore Furia’s legacy that I would like to highlight: his ability to educate,” said Nicoletta San Martino, emphasising the importance of scientific knowledge and environmental education in encouraging responsible behaviour and fostering a culture of care for the local area, people and future generations.The scientific committee’s choice confirms the award’s cultural prestige, recognising a figure who has helped bring sustainable development to the centre of public debate. Through his scientific and institutional work and his activities with ASviS, Giovannini promotes a concept of well-being that goes beyond economic growth to encompass quality of life, social cohesion, the protection of natural resources and equal opportunities.The 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals provide the framework for this integrated vision, which recognises the close relationship between the environmental crisis and social inequalities. This approach is consistent with the legacy of Salvatore Furia, naturalist, science communicator and founder of the award in 1973. He devoted his life to understanding and protecting nature, seeing science as an essential tool for education and community development.The 2026 award continues a tradition of recognising individuals who have broadened our understanding of the relationship between people and the environment. Previous recipients include science communicator Barbara Gallavotti in 2022, artist Michelangelo Pistoletto in 2023, recognised for the role of culture and creativity, and Ilaria Capua in 2025, whose concept of Circular Health highlights the links between human health, environmental protection and animal health. The award to Giovannini reinforces a vision of ecology that extends beyond nature conservation to encompass institutional responsibility, social equity and the pursuit of a sustainable future. (Pictured: Enrico Giovannini)