Half of Italy’s Plant, Animal Species At Risk, Ministry of Environment Says

Half of the plant and animal species in Italy and two-thirds of their habitats are at risk, the technical and research arm of Italy’s Ministry of Environment said.

ISPRA, the Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, said many of the species are “in strong decline or at risk of extinction.” The details came during a conference that ended Feb. 28.

“Italy is blessed with rich biodiversity, but because of uncontrolled development, much of it is at risk,” ISPRA Director General Stefano Laporta told Bloomberg BNA.

Laporta said ISPRA data showed Italy was at a “decisive moment” in its effort to ...