National Copernicus Relays Network Implementation in Italy

The national Copernicus Relay in Italy was initially composed by four members: the Copernicus National User Forum (CNUF), Lazio Connect (small enterprise association), IEST (R&D non-profit Organization), TERN (Public-Private Partnership). Nowadays the network expanded to further six entities that are: AMFM GIS, Fondazione E. Amaldi, ITHACA Information Technology for Humanitarian Assistance, Cooperation and Action, ENEA Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development - Laboratory Technologies for the Dynamics of Structures and the Prevention of seismic and hydrogeological risk, Bluefarm Srl, Osservatorio Space Economy POLIMI. Even if CNUF, through its user communities’ representatives, covers the full range of the thematic issue that underpin the development of both the Service and Space Component, it operates at national level. The other Relays act at regional/local level.

It is clear that the local scale distribution of Copernicus Relays on the national territory is still jeopardized both in term of coverage and thematic expertise. With this action it is proposed to maximize the Relays’ presence on the national territory leveraging on existing regional/local bodies, such as the National System for Environmental protection composed by regional EPAs. (Regional/ Provincial Agency for Environmental Protection).

ISPRA chairs the National System for Environmental Protection, which is made up of 21 Regional Environmental Protection Agencies, established by Regional Laws. It's an example of consolidated federal system, which combines the direct knowledge of the territory and its issues with the national policies for environmental protection, so as to become an institutional and technical-scientific reference point for the whole country. ISPRA fosters the cohesion of the System and promotes the collaboration addressing environmental themes. In this frame, considering the already established network, ISPRA intends promote and develop the network of Copernicus Regional Relay at regional level to approach, in the following years, the local level.

Different meetings have taken place at national and regional level to involve Regional EPAs and further regional actors into the Relay network. The relays network promotional event was held the 15 October 2021. It was participated by all the current relay network members and by National Environmental Protection Agencies Network Representatives, both presenting their field of expertise in the earth observation field.