Publishing date: 21 May 2026 Immagine notizia Immagine Paragrafo The University of Insubria is taking part in a seminar organised by the SINTAB project – Integrated Development for Cross-Border Nature and Biodiversity – focusing on the effects of climate change on natural habitats, scheduled for 29 May at Villa Recalcati in Varese. Among the speakers at the event is Professor Adriano Martinoli, lecturer in Zoology and Wildlife Conservation and the University’s sustainability representative. Below we publish the official press release issued by the organisers of the initiative.--------------Climate change and its effects on natural habitats will be the focus of the seminar organised as part of the SINTAB project – Integrated Development for Cross-Border Nature and Biodiversity, scheduled for Friday 29 May 2026, from 1.30 pm to 5.00 pm, in the conference hall of Villa Recalcati, headquarters of the Province of Varese. A meeting designed to foster dialogue between scientific research and public administrations, with the aim of analysing the changes underway and translating them into concrete tools for action in the local areas.The proceedings will open with institutional addresses by the Mayor of Varese, Davide Galimberti, the President of the Campo dei Fiori Regional Park, Giuseppe Barra, and the President of the Pineta di Appiano Gentile e Tradate Park, Mario Clerici. The afternoon will be chaired by Fabio Binelli, coordinator of the Department of Local Public Services, Environment, Agricultural Policies and Green Economy at ANCI Lombardia, a SINTAB partner and organiser of the event.The first session will be dedicated to scientific contributions, with three presentations bringing diverse yet complementary expertise to Varese, all focused on analysing the territory.The first will be by Giorgio Vacchiano, a researcher in forest management and planning at the University of Milan. His work focuses on the effects of climate change on forests, ecosystem resilience and sustainable forest management, using mathematical models and simulations to study fires, storms, growth dynamics and CO₂ absorption capacity. A highly active communicator, he was named by Nature as one of the world’s eleven most promising emerging scientists in 2018.His talk – made possible through collaboration with the Bosco Clima project supported by Fondazione Cariplo – will focus on the Campo dei Fiori Regional Park, viewed as a veritable open-air laboratory: more intense fires, extreme weather events, bark beetle infestations and difficulties with regeneration illustrate, on a local scale, what many Italian forests are already experiencing. The Park thus becomes a ‘climate sentinel’, useful for identifying present and future risks and devising strategies for prevention and strengthening resilience.He will be followed by Adriano Martinoli, Professor of Zoology and Wildlife Conservation at the University of Insubria and Chair of the Master’s degree programme in Biology and Sustainability.A biologist and ecologist, he works on wildlife conservation and management, with a particular focus on small and medium-sized mammals, bats and invasive species. He has coordinated national and international projects, was a member of the Italian CITES Scientific Commission and, since 2024, has been the University’s sustainability delegate.His talk will focus on how climate change is already reshaping animal life: shifting geographical distributions, accelerated biological cycles, and new pressures on ecosystems. Through concrete examples, a picture will emerge in which some species are moving northwards or to higher altitudes, others are altering their life cycles, whilst still others are disappearing. A process that closely affects not only biodiversity, but also the balance of human-inhabited areas.The session will be concluded by Paolo Valisa, a meteorologist and director of the Pre-Alpine Geophysical Centre, who has been involved for years in weather forecasting, climate monitoring and scientific outreach. He coordinates the network of meteorological, climatic and hydrological stations in the Varese area and collaborates with public bodies and civil protection agencies, as well as conducting research into Alpine glaciers and extreme weather events.In his presentation, he will present data collected by the Pre-Alpine Geophysical Centre since 1967, which document an average temperature increase of around 2.5°C over the last fifty years in the Po-Alpine region. The changes that are now evident will emerge: longer and hotter summers, a drastic reduction in the number of frost days, increasingly rare snow at low altitudes and increasingly frequent heavy rainfall. A picture that helps to provide a clearer understanding of future scenarios in the Pre-Alpine areas.The event will conclude with a round-table discussion for local authorities, focusing on adaptation initiatives already underway. Alberto Rossi, Mayor of Seregno, will speak, presenting the town’s Climate Plan, designed to integrate environmental sustainability, urban resilience and the care of public spaces through measurable and concrete actions.Joining him will be Anna Riva, Head of the Strategic Planning, Sustainability Report and Complex Projects at the Municipality of Lecco, who will outline the Lecco ECO Platform: a network involving institutions, associations and local communities on key issues such as land protection, water resource management, pollution reduction, renewable energy, sustainable mobility and urban greenery, with the aim of building a replicable model for ecological transition.The seminar is free of charge upon registration. The link is available in the article dedicated to the event in the News section of the ateinsubriaolona.org website https://www.ateinsubriaolona.it/notizie/seminario-sintab-a-varese-cambiamenti-climatici-e-impatto-sui-nostri-habitat-naturali/Alternatively, please email europa@anci.lombardia.it (Pictured: Adriano Martinoli)