Italy is one of Europe’s biodiversity hotspots. With more than 9,000 plant species, over 60,000 animal species, and a high rate of endemism, our country plays a key role in safeguarding this natural wealth.
But human activity and the growing impacts of the climate crisis are putting this heritage under threat: 30% of vertebrates and 25% of marine species are at risk of extinction. And 80% of lakes and 57% of rivers are in poor ecological condition. Taking action to reverse this trend is urgent—and it starts with all of us.
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What we do in Italy
For over three decades, Oikos has been working to protect Italy’s biodiversity. We collaborate with public authorities, universities and protected areas to develop joint strategies for environmental conservation. We use Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) to address today’s most pressing sustainability challenges—from climate change and water security to land degradation and biodiversity loss.
Here’s how:
- We promote sustainable land management by supporting protected areas and local governments with environmental planning, technical training, and the development of shared guidelines and projects. We help connect different local actors to achieve common goals in conservation, sustainable use, and environmental stewardship.
- We safeguard fragile ecosystems—like wetlands and heathlands—through hands-on conservation work: monitoring habitats and species, restoring degraded environments, and re-establishing ecological corridors.
- We bring sustainability into classrooms and communities. Over the years, we’ve built a wide- reaching education programme to promote more sustainable lifestyles. Thanks to our partnerships,
we now deliver it across many Italian regions—through student workshops, teacher training, and citizen engagement activities that inspire collective action for the planet.
