INHABIT project

The objectives of the project will be pursued partly by means of newly collected, dedicated data and information. Nonetheless, large emphasis will be placed on the analysis of existing information, which was actually included into river basin management plans. In the conclusive part of the project, the two sources of information i.e. newly collected and derived from plans, will be cross-linked and closely associated in order to obtain an update of programmes of measures for the achievement of good ecological status by 2015, based on the results of the project.
The project is expected to succeed in setting conceptually new, integrative measures for river management plans because it will be carried out jointly by beneficiaries as research institutions i.e. that developed new approaches and methods, and Administrations i.e. that have formally to collect and manage environmental data, to adopt management plans, to guarantee on the achievement of good ecological status and to ensure cost-effective measures are taken.
In large parts of Italy, standard monitoring mechanisms for pre-WFD activities are established and local Authorities are active and cover efficiently large portion of territory. Nonetheless, the delay in defining on the National scale the rules and terms for the WFD implementation led to an overall scenario where local Authorities did not trained adequately their staff on new methods and approaches and, which is most relevant here, did not effectively upgrade river basin plans according to WFD requirements i.e. did not consider into details all the innovative aspects proposed by the WFD. Therefore, there is a dramatic need for integrating what has been arranged up to now for WFD implementation, with new approaches able to fulfil normative requirements and lead to a better comprehension of aquatic ecosystem to improve water bodies’ management. This need by local Administrations for further support, to be matched with a strong degree of innovation in setting and implementing programmes of measures, will provide an invaluable impulse in driving results within the project and facilitating their prompt dissemination to a wider context in Italy.