Regione Veneto
09-12.07.2025 - “Water Resource, from the Dolomites to the Sea - Glaciers and their Conservation”
From Wednesday July 9 to Saturday July 12 2025 the conference/workshop “Water Resource, from the Dolomites to the Sea - Glaciers and their Conservation” was held at Mountain refuge Pietro Galassi - City of Mestre at Forcella Piccola dell'Antelao, Calalzo di Cadore (BL). The entire citizenship was able to follow the live streaming of the proceedings: www.rifugiogalassi.it/eventoacqua.
The topic was about the environment “The water resource, from the Dolomites to the sea,” the fourth edition of the multidisciplinary workshop, with the City of Venice leading a parterre that has been consolidated and expanded over the years, along with the great interest of scientific institutes.
"THE WATER RESOURCE" 2024 edition
"THE WATER RESOURCE" 2023 edition
"THE WATER RESOURCE" 2022 edition
The initiative was launched in 2022 to focus on the theme of water and the importance of its conservation. It is promoted by the Environmental Department of the Municipality of Venice, CAI - Club Alpino Italiano, CNR - National Research Council, UNESCO Regional Office for Science and Culture in Europe, Dolomites UNESCO Foundation, and Eurodesk - Europe Direct Venice Veneto of the Municipality of Venice. Additionally, it involves the Metropolitan City of Venice, Consorzio di Bonifica Acque Risorgive (Water Reclamation Consortium), Ca’ Foscari University, Venice Foundation World Capital of Sustainability, ARPAV, Consorzio Mitilla.
Some photos from the press conference to present the new edition held on July 3, 2025 at Ca' Loredan:
WEDNESDAY, JULY 9
8 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. meet at Praciadelan and enter Val d'Oten with vehicles
10.15 a.m. - arrival at Capanna Alpina in Val d'Oten
10.45 a.m. - departure for the trail up to the Refuge
12.30 arrival Refuge
15.00 - 15.30 - O pening of the Conference - Presentation - Institutional Greetings
15.45 - 17.30 - Opening remarks - Speakers' session: Challenges, strategies and development for an integrated management of the water resource
15.45 - Massimiliano De Martin Councillor for Urban Planning, City Planning, Private Building, Environment of the Municipality of Venice
Water and Venice. Scientific and territorial strategies for integrated management
16.00 - Simona Gallese Communication Assistant, UNESCO World Water Assessment Programme
United Nations World Water Resources Development Report 2025: Mountains and glaciers: towers of water
16.15 - Marco Cabbai President CSFVG - CAI
Research and study activities of the VFG Scientific Committee (CAI): focus on the Galassi Refuge and citizen science projects
16. 30 - Fabrizio Desio Biologist - CAI
Fauna of waterways: changes, risks and defense strategies to global warming
16.45 - Giulia Zanuttigh Botanist - CAI
Aquatic plants: challenges and adaptations of aquatic macrophytes in high mountains
17.00 - Questions/Discussion
THURSDAY, JULY 10
8:30 a.m. - Hike, departure for Forcella Piccola - meeting with Roberto Mezzacasa on the history of the Maximum Resistance of the Fourth Army, also known as the "Yellow Line," with continuation through the Antelao normal, in the company of botanists from the Fondazione Museo Civico di Rovereto: Alessio Bertolli and Giulia Tomasi who will illustrate the summit flora and climate change: what scenarios can be foreseen in the short to medium term.
15.00 - 17.00 - Speakers' session: Evolution of coastal systems and technological development
15.00 - Fabio Tincardi former Director Department of Earth System Sciences CNR. Sealaska-Woocheen: Sea level changes, evolution of coastal systems and offshore aquifers
15.30 - Federico Dallo - CNR ISP
Intelligent Networks for Fragile Environments: Climate Monitoring with loT and Citizen Science (EU Marie-Curie and Horizon Initiatives)
15.45 - Marco Favaro / Angela Andrigo
Municipality of Venice - Smart Control Room and Tide Prediction Center (online): The sea level trend in Venice, between observed data and future scenarios in the MOSE era
16.00 - Matteo Busolin / Gregorio Marinetto / Gianmarco Peschetola
Consorzio Acque Risorgive di Bonifica
Technologies at the service of land reclamation: The progressive development of the territory, combined with the climate crisis, imposes new growth efforts on the Consortium. Through models and technologies we plan for the future and manage emergencies
4:30 p.m. - Questions/Discussion
FRIDAY, JULY 11
9 a.m. - 10:40 a.m. - First intervention session: Future policies and scenarios for sustainable development
9.00 - Francesca Vianello, City of Venice - Europe Direct Venezia Veneto
The role of the European Union in the fight against climate change
9.20 - Francesca Rosso
9.40 - Omar Rodriguez Camarena - UNESCO Chair Water Heritage and Sustainable Development
Water Heritage and Sustainable Development: water as tangible and intangible heritage and its role in sustainable development
10.00 - Sara Pavan, ARPAV
Knowing the water resource in Veneto: how climate change may alter its availability and distribution
10.20 - Questions/Discussion
11-12.30 - Second speaking session: Water Resource and Biodiversity
11.00 - Marco Bordin Municipality of Venice, Territorial Development and Sustainable City Area Directorate
The relationship between urban planning, the city and water
11.30 - Stefano Munarin, IUAV University of Venice - Scientific Head of the PhD in
Urban Planning and Rector's Contact Person for Sport and Welfare. Water, flora, fauna and white roads: the hydrographic network as a labyrinth of multispecies freedom
12.00 - Questions/Discussion
15.00 - Prof. Andrea Rinaldo, University of Padua (online)
The Government of Water and the Changing World
15.30 - Andrea Securo, CNR ISP
The glacial evolution of the Dolomites in the last 40 years
15.45 - Fabrizio De Blasi, CNR ISP
The Ice Memory project: a race against time to save the history of the planet
16. 00 - Chiara Venier, CNR ISP
The Beyond EPICA project: from the ice of Antarctica the Earth's climate memory
16.15 - Anna D'Este, World Capital of Sustainability Foundation
Water and transport: the impact of transport of people and goods on water resources
16.30 - Massimo Gattolin / Claudia Ferrari, Municipality of Venice - Area Sviluppo del Territorio e
Città Sostenibile - Sector Remediation, Environmental Assessments. The initiatives of the Municipality of Venice on climate change
16.45 - Francesco Trovò / Greta Bruschi / Enrico Gobbi, IUAV University
Deepening the impacts of climate change on the monumental heritage of Venice. Outcomes of the collaboration between the City of Venice and luav University of Venice
17.00 - Questions
17.15 - Genny Busetto, Mitilla - Soc. Agricola F.IIi Busetto
Laboratorio Laguna - Mitilla and sustainability
17.30 - Carmen Losasso, IZSP Venezie (online)
Microbial ecology of the marine environment: supporting production and protecting public health with IZSVe's Mitilla29 and MitiClima projects
17.45 - Loriano Ballarin, University of Padua (online)
Ascidians: a new resource for the Venice lagoon
18.00 - Questions/Discussion
SATURDAY, JULY 12
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Speaking session: Scientific Disclosure and Ocean Literacy
9.00 - Francesco Abbruscato / Massimo Pavan, CAI Veneto
The refuge as a garrison of safety at high altitude: the experience of the "Healthy and Safe Refuges" in collaboration with AULSS 1 Dolomiti
9.15 - Corinna Guerra, UNESCO Chair Water Heritage and Sustainable Development (online)
Water and the Environmental Humanities
9.30 - Francesca Bampa / Esteban Gottfried Burguett, UNESCO Regional Office for Science and Culture in Europe
Youth Workshop and Videomaking
- Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences.
- From Source to Sea
- Ocean Literacy - SEA BEYOND
- Final project and discussion with experts
12.00 - Workshop conclusion and greetings
3:30 p.m. - Descent to the valley: Alpine Hut, then off-road to Praciadelàn
Water is a precious, irreplaceable resource, fundamental for life on our planet. It is essential for all living beings—animals, humans, and plants—and necessary to maintain our health. Unfortunately, its availability is not infinite; it is a limited resource, which poses a series of critical challenges on both local and global scales. This led to the inclusion of "Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all" among the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) defined in 2015 by 150 international leaders gathered at the United Nations to promote global development, human well-being, and environmental protection. In addition to issues of access and reduced availability, water contamination is increasing due to industrial water residues and inadequate waste disposal. Furthermore, climate change is increasingly causing extreme weather events such as droughts and floods. Although the Veneto region is still rich in this primary resource, it is witnessing a drastic decrease in reserves represented by glaciers. Being aware of this and preserving it is a duty towards all humanity.
It is essential, however, even where there are no access or availability issues, to ensure due respect: the shrinking of glaciers, the drying up of springs, the lowering of water tables, the pollution of rural wells, and the sea are now intolerable events for an environment already stressed by countless daily assaults. The right path to follow appears to be that outlined at the European level, where efforts are focused on ensuring: protection and improvement of the state of aquatic ecosystems, as well as terrestrial and wetland areas dependent on them; sustainable water use based on long-term protection of available water resources; greater protection of the aquatic environment, allowing for improvement through the adoption of specific measures for the gradual reduction of discharges, emissions, and losses of priority substances, as well as the cessation or gradual elimination of discharges, emissions, and losses of hazardous substances; halting and gradually reducing groundwater pollution; and making a proactive contribution to mitigating the effects of floods and droughts.
Regarding the effects of climate change on water resources, it is worth noting that with the Glasgow Pact, signed during COP26 in Scotland, the global community once again highlighted the severity of the climate problem we are facing, establishing a milestone towards the process of adapting to and reducing climate-altering emissions. The agreement also emphasizes the importance of acting both globally and locally for climate adaptation, with particular attention to the protection and restoration of ecosystems and the involvement of local communities, going beyond the administrative boundaries of local authorities. These are all aspects that the City of Venice urgently recognizes and seeks to address through its Climate Plan, tailored to the specificities of our territory. We strongly rely on collaboration among the various stakeholders, both public and private, to meet the challenge of safeguarding water and climate resources for Venice and its territory "from source to sea," as an inseparable whole. We also count on the active contribution that the entire local community can provide to ensure sustainable water management and climate adaptation, starting with individual behaviors in every household, business, and public space.
number 800 496200
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