A meeting dedicated to scientific, technological and policy aspects of environmental monitoring and control was held yesterday at the Embassy in Vienna. The event was introduced by the Italian Ambassador in Vienna, Giovanni Pugliese, who - in his speech - emphasised the importance of interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral research activities in the field of scientific diplomacy, mentioning, in this regard, also the recent establishment, strongly supported by the embassy, of the Association for Scientific Exchanges Austria Italy (Assai).
A panel of experts, in front of a varied audience of representatives from the academic world and Austrian defence, security and civil protection experts, explored the concept of 'situational awareness' applied to the environment, which allows us to perceive and understand environmental dynamics in a given space-time context and to project their evolution in the short term. This method makes use of a broad spectrum of data collected by sensors operating on different dimensional and observable scales, from microscopy to satellite observation, including physical, chemical and biological characteristics, without neglecting legal constraints and forensic implications. These were the main aspects illustrated by Prof. Massimiliano Lega, from the Parthenope University of Naples, who was busy presenting the SafE (Situational Awareness for the Environment) project in numerous academic and consular venues (from the United States to Europe).
Professor Roberta Teta of the Federico II University of Naples, on the other hand, illustrated the use of the methodology in an environmental emergency linked to a specific case of pollution of Lake Averno, while Ing. Fabrizio Curcio, former Head of Civil Protection for the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and one of the leading experts in this field in Italy, presented interesting concrete examples of the application of the situational awareness methodology: from the emergency management of the Costa Concordia shipwreck, to the challenges represented by the potential of Italian volcanoes, to real and potential cases of fires and floods. Finally, Dr. Gabriele Redigonda (European Space Policy Institute) emphasised the importance played by policy tools for the effective management of situational awareness when the latter requires observations from space and coordination with terrestrial activities. The meeting was a useful opportunity to strengthen the bilateral dialogue on a highly topical issue, laying useful foundations for potential cross-sectoral cooperation between Italy and Austria.
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