The RENOVATE project (Ecosystem-Based Approach to the Assessment and Experimentation of Compensation and Mitigation Actions in the Marine Environment: the Case of the Civitavecchia Port Hub) is one of the most ambitious and innovative initiatives in the field of marine habitat restoration in Italy, and likely in Europe.

Its main objectives are the recovery of the functions and ecosystem services lost as a result of the expansion of the Civitavecchia Port Hub, with a particular focus on restoration and mitigation interventions targeting specific marine habitats and species of ecological relevance, through an integrated and multidisciplinary approach.

Recovery of priority habitats and species

The restoration interventions focus on two priority habitats: 1120* (Posidonia oceanica) and 1170 (submarine rocky formations and reefs), with particular attention to two key species: Corallium rubrum (red coral) and Pinna nobilis (a large bivalve mollusk). The project includes the testing of innovative techniques to ensure the regeneration of these habitats, not only preserving but also enhancing biodiversity.

Holistic and ecosystem-based approach

RENOVATE adopts an ecosystem-based approach that considers the marine ecosystem as a whole. This includes assessing anthropogenic and climatic impacts on the marine environment and applying Nature-Based Solutions (NBS).

Planning interventions across space and time reduces the risk of failure and improves the effectiveness of restoration actions, ensuring an integrated approach to marine ecosystem management.

Long-term experimentation and monitoring

The project spans 10 years, with the first 4 years dedicated to direct restoration activities and the remaining 6 years allocated to continuous monitoring and any necessary adjustments to ensure ecosystem function recovery.

This long-term experimental approach makes it possible to accurately assess the effectiveness of the interventions and modify them over time, thus ensuring the success of the restoration actions.

High-level scientific partnership

Coordinated by the Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change (CMCC), the project involves a network of prestigious Italian institutions, including universities and research institutes such as OGS, the University of Tuscia, the University of Palermo, the University of Bologna, the University of Sassari, the University of Milano-Bicocca, and CNR-IAS.

The multidisciplinary collaboration among these entities creates scientific synergy and contributes to innovation and the solution of complex problems, overcoming the fragmentation typical of sector-specific projects.

Innovative technologies and predictive models

One of RENOVATE’s key aspects is the use of ultra-high-resolution numerical models to simulate and better understand marine ecosystem dynamics and the potential impacts of human and climatic pressures.

With advanced forecasting tools, the project will be able to develop an Early Warning System (EWS) to anticipate environmental risks—such as those caused by seabed dredging—and minimize failures in restoration activities.

The use of supercomputers such as ZEUS and JUNO enables precise simulations, supporting a Digital Twin of the Oceans approach that virtually reproduces ecosystems to predict their response to various stressors.

Interdisciplinary integration

The project goes beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries, interactively integrating different fields of expertise to tackle the challenges of environmental restoration. Experimental field and laboratory activities are supported by autonomous monitoring systems and state-of-the-art technologies—such as autonomous underwater vehicles—that allow data collection even under difficult conditions.

Contribution to international research

RENOVATE draws inspiration from previous projects, such as the environmental restoration of Giglio Island after the Costa Concordia shipwreck, and builds on the results of LIFE and Horizon projects. As such, the project becomes a reference model for future marine ecosystem restoration efforts, applying the most advanced scientific criteria used at the international level.