Approfondimenti- Rapporto Osservasalute- Gas effetto serra

[Autom. eng. transl.] The problems concerning greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, N2O, HFCs, PFCs, SF6), their emission and diffusion as well as their effects on the atmosphere and on the climate, often involve transboundary spatial and temporal scales, with an extension in general continental or global. These problems are characterized by diffusion processes that require several months or years, and outcomes on weather and climatic conditions and on human health (1), which may require several decades before becoming explicit (2). Directive 2008/50 / EC, implemented in our country with the Legislative Decree n. 155 of 2010, defines the methods for carrying out assessment and management of air quality, both in terms of protecting the population and safeguarding the environment as a whole. To this end, the Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), on behalf of the Ministry of the Environment, through Legislative Decree n. 51 of 2008, which establishes the National System relating to the inventory of greenhouse gas emissions, ensures the monitoring of emissions of climate-changing gases in Italy. Furthermore, ISPRA has implemented the National System for the collection, processing and dissemination of Climatological Environmental Data (SCIA) (3). The ISPRA, after an assessment of the emissions of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and an estimate of the associated climatic variations, publishes in its yearbook (4) the data concerning different variables, monitored throughout the national territory. Some of these variables are used as indicators for the study of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change trends. Thanks to this institutional channel, the indicators taken into consideration can reach the attention of the decision makers in order to adopt the appropriate control, management and rehabilitation policies following a careful assessment of the impacts and vulnerability to climate change, also considering the their potential negative effect on the health of the Italian population (5). The purpose of the analysis of greenhouse gas emission indicators is to estimate the national emissions to verify the achievement of the objectives set (Kyoto Protocol of 1997 ratified with Law No. 120 of June 1, 2002; CIPE Resolution of December 19, 2002; Legislative Decree No. 51 of 2008, Ministerial Decree of April 1, 2008 and further updates and additions and / or changes) which provided for Italy the overall reduction of national greenhouse gas emissions by 6.5% compared to 1990, within the 2008-2012 period. In the same way, thanks to the analysis of the annual anomaly values of the climate indicators taken into consideration (average temperature; cumulated precipitation; variation of glacial fronts; mass balance of glaciers), it is possible to represent the deviation from the average climatological values and estimate the trend over the years.