Climate Change Research Center (CCRC)

Acronimo CCRC con icone di fiocco di neve, sole e sfera terrestre

The CCRC is an inter-disciplinary research group, based at the Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences (DiSTA) of the University of Insubria, Varese-Como (Italy) since 2020.

It investigates climate change and climate impacts on natural ecosystems, focusing on mountain and polar regions, and human activities. The researches integrate and combine environmental sciences (climatology, ecology, geobotany, physic, biochemistry, ecotoxicology) and social sciences (philosophy and communication) to understand direction and magnitude of climate change impacts and feedbacks on natural and human systems and to detect mitigation and adaptation options across different spatial and temporal scales.

About us
Where we work
Localizzazione, attraverso pallini azzurri, delle macro aree geografiche di studio del CCRC

High latitude and high altitude regions are among the most sensitive and vulnerable environments to climate change, with relevant impacts both on their biotic (e.g. vegetation) and abiotic (e.g. glaciers, permafrost) components and at different levels of ecological organization.

These regions act as an “early-warning system”, extremely valuable to predict future ecosystem responses to climate change and to assess the efficiency of mitigation and adaptation options.

For these reason the CCRC group conducts field research and samples analysis from across the globe, with a focus on mountain (Alps) and polar (European Arctic, Alaska, maritime and continental Antartica) regions and the related human and social systems.

The CCRC group manages technical, scientific and logistic aspects also of the project “INSUBRE-POLAR” (Toolik Lake, Alaska; 68.630692°N, 149.610636°W), in agreement with the central administration of University of Insubria.

Enlarge the map. 

Insubre-Polar
Paesaggio dell'Alaska comprendente il passaggio dalla foresta di conifere alla zona di tundra artico-alpina

The purpose of the “INSUBRE-POLAR” project is the establishment of an international laboratory aimed at scientific research and high profile educational training on the issues of Climate and Global Change in the Arctic while also enabling the continuation of ongoing research on the effects of climate change on vegetation, permafrost, glaciers and alien plant species. In addition to scientific outputs, the establishment of a base in the Arctic would have undoubted benefits brought by the improvement of the University's visibility and attractiveness abroad and the related attractiveness of the University to international students and faculty. The Project will begin its research activities by contributing to some NSF funded and long standing American Projects in Northern Alaska such as:

  • Barrow Area Information Database (BAID)
  • Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring (CALM)
  • Global Terrestrial Network for Permafrost (GTN P)
  • National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON)
  • International Tundra Experiment (ITEX)
  • Arctic Observatory Network (AON)

The main objective of the project and is to study carbon dioxide and methane emissions due to permafrost degradation caused by climate change. Data collection will see operators engaged every day at several monitoring points in the Arctic tundra not far from the Toolik Lake station. Associated with it will be further geomorphological, vegetation, hydrological and microbiological analyses.

Goals
CCRC goals - Research activity in polar environment

Climate change, mitigation, adaptation and risk management are among the most important research topics to raise awareness about risks associated with climate variability and change and to produce valuable management tool for environment conservation and restoration and for a sustainable future.

To reach these goals, the CCRC group aims to promote theoretical and applied inter-disciplinary researches, with innovative techniques, and to enhance research and educational expertise on several topics, such as:

  • Climatology and meteorology;
  • Paleoclimate;
  • Impact of climate change on abiotic and biotic components of ecosystems, with primary focus on high latitudes and high altitudes;
  • Impact of anthropogenic activities on climate change and related feedbacks;
  • Identification of good practices and strategies to achieve climate mitigation and adaptation.

The produced results and knowledge of the group are shared with national and international research institutions and with stakeholders at local and national scale, to raise awareness and to implement the research effort on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change.

Director:

  • Guglielmin Mauro – Full Professor, Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences (DiSTA)

Members:

  • Cannone Nicoletta – Full Professor, Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences (DiSTA) 
  • Cavallo Domenico Maria Guido – Full Professor, Department of Science and High Technology (DiSAT) 
  • Crosa Giuseppe – Full Professor, Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences (DiSTA) 
  • Marinelli Flavia – Full Professor, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences (DBSV) 
  • Negrini Daniela – Full Professor, Department of Medicine and Surgery (DMC)
  • Bettinetti Roberta – Associate Professor, Department of Human Sciences, Innovation, Territory (DiSUIT) 
  • Cattaneo Andrea – Associate Professor, Department of Science and High Technology (DiSAT) 
  • Pasquaré Mariotto Federico Aligi – Associate Professor Department of Human Sciences, Innovation, Territory (DiSUIT) 
  • Zaccara Serena – University researcher, Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences (DiSTA)
  • Malfasi Francesco – Research associate, Department of Science and High technology (DiSTA) 
  • Ponti Stefano – Research associate, Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences (DiSTA) 
  • Addamo Anna Maria – Scientific Project Officer, DIR D2 Water and Marine Resources, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra (Italy); researcher, Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), Madrid (Spain)

Publications
 

Forte, E., Azzaro, M., Cannone, N., Longhi, A., Santin, I., & Guglielmin, M. (2025) A warming pulse in the Antarctic continent changed the landscape during the Middle Ages. Communications Earth & Environment, 6(1), 281. https://doi.or/10.1038/s43247-025-02259-4

Lu, C., van Groenigen, K.J., Gillespie, M.A.K., Hollister, R.D., Post, E., Cooper, E.J., et al. (2025) Diminishing warming effects on plant phenology over time. New Phytologist, 245(2), 523–533. https://doi.or/https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.20019

Casiraghi, C., Malfasi, F., Cannone, N. (2024). A multicriteria protocol for the set-up and long-term monitoring of a pilot project for the restoration of alpine vegetation threatened by climate change. Ecological Indicators, 165, 112204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2024.112204

Cannone, N., Malfasi, F. (2024). Climate change triggered synchronous woody plants recruitment in the last two centuries in the treeline ecotone of the Northern Hemisphere. Science of The Total Environment, 921, 170953. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170953

Ponti, S., Girola, I., Guglielmin, M. (2024). Thermal photogrammetry on a permafrost rock wall for the active layer monitoring. Science of The Total Environment, 917, 170391. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170391

Guglielmin, M., Azzaro, M., Buzzini, P., Battistel, D., Roman, M., Ponti, S., Turchetti, B., Sannino, C., Borruso, L., Papale, M., & Lo Giudice, A. (2023). A possible unique ecosystem in the endoglacial hypersaline brines in Antarctica. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-27219-2 

Piccinelli, S., Francon, L., Corona, C., Stoffel, M., Slamova, L., & Cannone, N. (2023). Vessels in a Rhododendron ferrugineum (L.) population do not trace temperature anymore at the alpine shrubline. Frontiers in Plant Science, 13(January), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.1023384 

Tarca, G., & Guglielmin, M. (2022). Evolution of the sparse debris cover during the ablation season at two small Alpine glaciers (Gran Zebrù and Sforzellina, Ortles-Cevedale group). Geomorphology, 409(January), 108268. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2022.108268  

Tarca, G., Guglielmin, M., Convey, P., Worland, M. R., & Cannone, N. (2022). Small-scale spatial–temporal variability in snow cover and relationships with vegetation and climate in maritime Antarctica. Catena, 208(September 2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2021.105739 

Director:
Prof. GUGLIELMIN MAURO
 

Postal address:
Climate Change Research Center
University of Insubria – DiSTA
Via J.H. Dunant, 3
21100 Varese (Italy)
 

Email:
ccrc@uninsubria.it

Phone:
+39 0332 421445
+39 031 2386662

"Glacier CC" project - Data are available here

The application of motivated scientists and students and of talented professionals to the CRCC group is welcome.
 

Please submit a spontaneous application by sending your scientific CV and cover letter (emphasizing academic degree, area of study and preferred research areas) to ccrc@uninsubria.it and wait for a reply from our group.

You’ll be contacted either for a successful or unsuccessful application.