From the Niscemi case to the strategic role of geological knowledge in Italy, at the intersection of natural hazard, public planning, and institutional responsibility
Abstract: Roberto Troncarelli, President of the National Council of Geologists, reflects on the role of geology in contemporary Italy, a context marked by hydrogeological instability, seismic risk, water-related criticalities, coastal erosion, and growing pressure resulting from climate change and the anthropization of the territory. The interview highlights how the peninsula’s geomorphological fragility requires a shift beyond a merely emergency-based approach toward a structural culture of prevention, grounded in scientific knowledge, continuous monitoring, and the integration of geology into planning and design processes. From this perspective, geological expertise emerges not as an ancillary body of knowledge, but as an essential component of public policies concerning territorial safety, the protection of communities, and the sustainable management of resources. The case of Niscemi, discussed in the dialogue with Troncarelli, further confirms the need for a rigorous, interdisciplinary, and non-reductionist approach to the analysis of landslides and natural hazards. The essay thus proposes a reading of geology as a technical, institutional, and cultural safeguard indispensable to the future of the country.
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Roberto Troncarelli is the President of the National Council of Geologists. His work is focused on safeguarding the profession, strengthening the role of geology in public policy, and promoting a more robust culture of prevention in land governance. He is actively engaged with issues such as hydrogeological instability, natural hazard, territorial planning, and the safety of infrastructure, with particular attention to the relationship between scientific rigor, institutional responsibility, and the protection of communities.
Last October, Roberto Troncarelli was elected President of the National Council of Geologists. More recently, he was also appointed to the study commission established by the Minister for Civil Protection and Maritime Policies, Nello Musumeci, to examine the landslide movement affecting the municipal territory of Niscemi. We asked him a number of questions not only about this prestigious appointment, but also for a broader reflection on Italy’s complex geological condition, a subject that remains constantly at the forefront of both public debate and the government’s political agenda.
What are your powers, and how do you intend to exercise them? In continuity with the previous presidency, or not?
«Our profession was established in 1963 through founding Law No. 112, which regulates, among other matters, the activities and responsibilities of the professional councils, including those of institutional officeholders. Within this framework, the President of the National Council of Geologists is entrusted not only with the institutional representation of the profession at the national level, but also with the guidance and coordination of the Council’s activities, in accordance with the functions assigned by that law, by the amendments introduced over the years, and by the code of ethics. We are therefore speaking of the protection of the title of geologist and of the profession itself, oversight of the proper exercise of professional activity, the maintenance of the register, the fight against unauthorized practice, and disciplinary functions, as well as a continuous dialogue with government, parliament, and institutions. To return to your question, the Council that I have the honor of presiding over was elected on the basis of a programme that stands in complete continuity with the previous administration.»
What will be the core focus of your presidency?
«Particular attention will be devoted to strengthening the profession’s institutional presence in every relevant forum and to consolidating and stabilizing some important achievements attained during the previous term. At the same time, I believe it is necessary to foster an even more open exchange, based on collegiality and attentive listening to the territorial Orders, which in our profession are organized on a regional basis. We will further develop our capacity to build effective interdisciplinary relationships with the world of technical professions and research. The defining features of the new Council will therefore be, in short, continuity in values, coupled with a renewed drive toward practicality and participation.»
In your opening speech for the new term of office, you referred to achievements such as the implementation of the fair compensation provision and the reform of the consolidated text on construction. Could you tell us something about that?
«During the five-year term that has just concluded, important results were achieved that directly affected the dignity and quality of professional work. The introduction and implementation of the principle of fair compensation, governed by Law No. 49/2023, represents a fundamental step: it means recognizing the value, including the economic value, of technical services and ensuring fairer working conditions, especially in relations with public administration. At the same time, we worked to strengthen the role of the geologist in planning and design processes, including within the framework of the recent Public Contracts Code set out in Legislative Decree No. 36/2023.»
And what about the reform of the consolidated construction text, Presidential Decree No. 380/2001?
«This is still an evolving process, within which we will seek to demonstrate, even more decisively, the indispensable nature of geology’s contribution, not only in factual terms but also in regulatory ones. That contribution must become increasingly recognized as essential to the safety of works and to the proper assessment of subsurface conditions. Our objective is to continue safeguarding these areas, so that the role of the geologist as designer is fully integrated into decision-making processes.»
What are the challenges of the future?
«The challenges ahead of us are complex and closely connected to territorial transformation and to the effects of the profound changes currently under way: climatic, energy-related, digital, and ecological. Our country is fragile and requires a systemic approach to the prevention of natural hazards. In this sense, one of our primary objectives will be to strengthen the role of geology in spatial planning and public policy. We intend to work on several levels: consolidating relations with regional territorial Orders, strengthening dialogue with universities and research institutes, such as ISPRA and INGV by way of example, promoting continuing professional development, and enhancing the expertise of geologists in emerging fields, such as water resource management, the energy transition, and environmental protection. At the same time, we want to consolidate our role as reliable interlocutors for institutions, contributing to the construction of structural, long-term policies grounded in knowledge of the territory.»
What, in order of importance, are Italy’s most significant geological problems?
«If I had to indicate a scale of priorities, I would certainly place hydrogeological instability first, as it represents one of the most widespread and impactful emergencies in our country. But attention must not be diverted from other major critical issues, such as land consumption and past urbanization, often carried out in fragile areas or during periods when there was no conscious culture of risk or respect for the territory. These dynamics have increased exposure to hazard in several sectors. Finally, we must not overlook other sources of potential risk that are peculiar to the geological configuration of our peninsula, such as seismic and volcanic risk, which affect large portions of our territory, as well as the management of water resources, which is becoming increasingly critical in relation both to climate change and to the constant increase in anthropogenic pressure.»
These critical issues do not end there…
«Indeed, other matters also deserve attention, albeit with lower incidence and more limited geographical distribution, including issues linked to the geological and morphological configuration of our country, such as coastal erosion and, more generally, the set of effects connected to climatic dynamics, which amplify phenomena already present.»
Is there a common denominator for addressing them?
«The common denominator is the need to move from an emergency-based logic to a genuine culture of prevention and risk management, involving the communities concerned.»
Let us now turn to the Niscemi affair: in your view, is it nature’s fault, or could a human cause be hypothesized?
«When dealing with complex phenomena such as a landslide movement, it is essential to maintain a rigorous scientific approach, together with intellectual transparency and a principled commitment toward the communities involved, so that, once discussed, choices for countering hazards can be shared. In general, these phenomena are the result of the interaction of different factors: the geomorphological predisposition of the territory, geological and hydrogeological conditions, meteorological events, and, in some cases, human action as well. In this specific case, it will be the work of the Commission that provides objective and documented evidence.»
Without breaching the confidentiality required by your position, can you tell us anything more?
«What I can say is that it is important to avoid simplifications or hasty attributions of responsibility. Our task is to analyse the data, understand the causes, and above all identify the most effective solutions for risk mitigation and safety measures, to the extent allowed by the unquestionable local difficulties, both for the affected portion of the municipal territory and for the communities involved.»
In a television interview, you stated that “definitive stabilization” is impossible. Is our territory really that “restless”?
«Italy is a geologically young and dynamic country. This means that natural processes—such as landslides, erosive processes, floods, seismic activity, and volcanic activity—are part of its evolution. Speaking of “definitive stabilization” may be misleading, because it implies the idea that these processes can be completely eliminated, pursuing a chimerical condition of “zero risk,” which is not achievable and is unrealistic to propose. What we can and must do is invest in knowledge of our territory, monitor it constantly, establish territorial observatories as we have proposed for years, plan correctly, and intervene through mitigation and maintenance works. In other words, we cannot eliminate risk, but we can reduce it significantly, greatly attenuating the damage profiles it would otherwise produce. This is where geology plays a fundamental role.»
If you had a “magic wand,” effective even in relation to politics, what would be the first measure you would enact for Italy’s geological health?
«The first action I would propose would be the establishment of a major permanent national plan for territorial prevention and maintenance. Not an extraordinary intervention, but a structural strategy, an organic plan, continuous over time, equipped with reliable resources and effective coordination among the different institutional levels. This plan should include the constant updating of data, the harmonization of databases that different entities currently develop without effective mutual sharing of information, widespread monitoring, a programme of routine territorial maintenance, and the integration of geology into every phase of planning. I repeat: the real challenge is to move from emergency management to a culture of prevention, and this requires political vision and continuity in decision-making.»
One final question: would you recommend that a young person pursue geological studies from a career perspective?
«Absolutely yes, but with awareness. Geology is a fascinating discipline and increasingly central to addressing the challenges of our time: from soil protection to water resource management, from energy to environmental protection, and finally to critical and strategic raw materials. Professional opportunities do exist and are steadily growing, especially for those willing to invest in their own education and acquire interdisciplinary skills. At the same time, it is important to be realistic: commitment, continuous updating, and the ability to adapt to evolving contexts are essential. To a young person, I would say that choosing geology means contributing concretely to the safety and future of the country, and this is both an important responsibility and a great opportunity. Unfortunately, for several years now—and incredibly so, given everything we have said above—we have been witnessing an unstoppable decline in enrolments in our degree programmes, with Italy’s geological community constantly shrinking. We will seek to intervene with the relevant ministries, both to restore Earth sciences teaching in high schools with an adequate number of hours, and to adapt university curricula so that they respond to current social needs and become more attractive to younger generations.»
The conversation with Roberto Troncarelli thus concludes with an appeal directed to younger generations. His words remained firmly within the bounds of scientific rigor, without responding to journalistic provocations that touched on other levels—political, administrative, and social. To address those issues, interlocutors will need to be sought elsewhere, and probably so too will the responsibilities for critical situations such as the Niscemi landslide.
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