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Italy soil consumption reaches record high in 2025
According to the 2026 ISPRA-SNPA report, Italy experienced a record acceleration in soil consumption in 2025, with over 10,200 hectares of natural or agricultural land transformed into artificial surfaces. This represents a 22.4% increase compared to the previous year, equivalent to a loss of approximately three square meters per second.
Regionally, Sicily recorded the highest loss with 1,619 hectares, followed by Lazio with 1,436 hectares, Puglia with 1,198 hectares, and Lombardy with 1,093 hectares. Lombardy also maintains the highest overall percentage of artificialized territory in Italy at 12.27%.
In specific provinces, Viterbo saw the highest annual consumption with 969 hectares, largely driven by photovoltaic installations. In Lombardy, Varese province remains highly urbanized at 21.1%, while the province of Pavia recorded a net increase of 79.2 hectares. The report also highlights a significant opportunity for reversal, noting that over 2,100 square kilometers of land are potentially recoverable for urban regeneration and green spaces.
Entities
Coldiretti · Forum H2O · ISPRA · Italy · Lazio · Lombardy · SNPA · Sicily · Varese
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The net soil consumption in Italy for 2025 was 9,497 hectares. aostasera.it · prometeo.adnkronos.com · www.regionieambiente.it
- [● 3 SOURCES] Lombardy recorded a net increase of 982.1 hectares of soil consumption in 2025. www.laprovinciadivarese.it · www.varesenews.it · radiogold.it
- [● 3 SOURCES] Sicily recorded the largest soil loss in 2025 with 1,619 hectares. aostasera.it · prometeo.adnkronos.com · www.ilfattonisseno.it
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Lazio had the highest relative rate of new soil consumption at 1.01 percent. aostasera.it
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Valle d’Aosta and Liguria each lost 33 hectares of soil in 2025. aostasera.it
- [● 2 SOURCES] Italy recorded 10,243 hectares of soil consumption in 2025. aostasera.it · prometeo.adnkronos.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Varese province lost 61.7 hectares of soil between 2024 and 2025. www.laprovinciadivarese.it · www.varesenews.it · radiogold.it
- [● 3 SOURCES] 21.1 percent of Varese province is currently urbanized. www.laprovinciadivarese.it · www.varesenews.it · radiogold.it