On 15 October in Lecce, the CMCC Foundation will present the 2026 Romeo Bassoli Award for scientific journalism on climate and sustainability to Agence France-Presse – Future of the Planet, and Daniele Moretti of Sky TG24. The award is named after one of the most brilliant voices in Italian science journalism. It recognises expertise, innovation and originality at a time when accurate, evidence-based information on the climate crisis has become essential to public debate. After the ceremony, journalists and researchers will discuss the challenge journalism faces in reporting climate change and its interactions with society. The panel on climate journalism is part of a series of six events that shape the long-standing collaboration of the CMCC with the festival Conversazioni sul Futuro and that, for 2026, includes panels and discussions on adaptation, the environmental impacts of war and our relationship with nature.

The Romeo Bassoli Award for scientific journalism on climate and sustainability, promoted by the CMCC Foundation, will be presented on Thursday 15 October in Lecce, within the program of Conversazioni sul Futuro (14–18 October). The award honours Romeo Bassoli (1952–2013), who saw science as a cultural, economic and social driver. In 1989–1990 he created the first daily science page in an Italian newspaper. He was also press officer of the National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN) and, with Eva Benelli, co-founded the Rome office of the scientific publishing agency Zadig. The CMCC carries his legacy forward by recognising journalists who stand out for expertise, innovation and originality in covering climate and sustainability.

This year the award goes to Agence France-Presse – Future of the Planet, and Daniele Moretti of Sky TG24. The prize, awarded by a jury comprising Silvia Bencivelli, Eva Benelli, Luca Carra, Cristiana Pulcinelli and Mauro Buonocore, will be presented to the winners during the even during Cambiamento mediatico. Strumenti, fonti, dati e redazioni per informare sulla crisi climatica, a discussion bringing together journalists and researchers to explore how climate change can be reported accurately and effectively.

Recognising sustainability and climate change as the greatest challenge facing humanity as it shapes its future, AFP has set up a multidisciplinary, cross-cutting and global desk to address the many facets of this issue whilst upholding the highest journalistic standards. Ella Ide, a British journalist based in Rome that covers climate change and coordinates news from Italy for Agence France-Presse will collect the award on behalf of AFP.

Daniele Moretti, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Sky TG24, is the author of numerous investigative reports on environmental issues and of TV shows on the climate crisis.

Alongside the two 2026 Romeo Bassoli Award winners, the discussion panel will feature Eva Benelli, journalist at the scientific publishing agency Zadig; Luca Carra, editor-in-chief of Scienza in rete and secretary of the Gruppo 2003 per la ricerca scientifica; and Antonio Navarra, President of the CMCC Foundation. The event will be moderated by Mauro Buonocore, Communication and Outreach Coordinator at the CMCC Foundation.

From climate journalism to adaptation

The CMCC programme at Conversazioni sul Futuro will also bring climate research into dialogue with another crucial area: how scientific knowledge can support decisions and action in territories facing climate change.

On Friday 16 October, at 8:15 pm, Questa non è un’emergenza: adattamento, politiche territoriali, scienza e processi decisionali will focus on adaptation and on the relationship between climate science, territorial policies and decision-making.

Heatwaves, droughts, floods, coastal erosion and pressure on water resources increasingly require policies capable of translating climate data, scenarios and scientific knowledge into concrete decisions. Drawing on experiences from Puglia and Rome, the event will bring together research, journalism and public administration to discuss how climate risk can be integrated into planning and decision-making, and how territories can become better prepared for a changing climate.

The panel will feature Paola Mercogliano, Principal Scientist at the CMCC Foundation, together with environmental journalist and geographer Emanuele Bompan, Fausto Pizzolante from the Puglia Region and Danila Severa from Roma Capitale. Mauro Buonocore will moderate the discussion.

Six events, different ways of talking about climate

The CMCC’s long-standing partnership with Conversazioni sul Futuro is once again packed with numerous events and guests this year.

On Friday 16 October, the CMCC will open the doors of its supercomputing centre, operational oceanography laboratory, and meeting centre to local schools. Pupils will take part in the annual Opendays@CMCC event, during which they will have the opportunity to engage with the centre’s researchers. Following the sessions and tours of the premises, there will be a discussion in the meeting centre on current issues relating to climate and society, featuring Stefania Divertito, author of the book “Guerra e Clima. L’ecocidio che uccide la Terra”, and Emanuele Bompan, editor of the international magazine “Materia Rinnovabile. The discussion will be moderated by Mauro Buonocore, Head of Communications at the CMCC.

Later on October 16, will delve deeper into the relationship between conflict, climate and the environment with Guerra e clima. L’ecocidio che distrugge la Terra, based on Stefania Divertito’s book. The morning event at the CMCC Foundation is designed for schools and will be preceded by a guided visit to the High Performance Computing Center. In the evening, at 7:00 pm at Convitto Palmieri, Divertito will present the book together with environmental journalist and geographer Emanuele Bompan and science journalist Elisabetta Tola.

On Thursday 15 October, before the award ceremony, with Anime artiche. Una trilogia, the presentation of Valentina Tamborra’s book at 7:00 pm. In conversation with investigative journalist and environmental writer Stefania Divertito, Tamborra will take the audience on a journey across the Svalbard archipelago, the Lofoten Islands and Finnmark, exploring territories and communities living in some of the most rapidly changing environments in the world.

The book explores the long-term environmental impacts of armed conflicts, from contaminated soils and water to damage to vegetation and ecosystems. Looking across different historical and contemporary cases, it also examines research measuring the environmental and climate impacts of conflicts and initiatives aimed at addressing them.

The CMCC programme concludes on Saturday 17 October with Non siamo gli unici. L’arte segreta della natura, at 5:45 pm at Castello Carlo V. In his book, chemist, naturalist and science communicator Giorgio Volpi explores the behaviours and strategies of animals and plants, challenging the idea that humans occupy a separate or superior position in the natural world. Volpi will be joined by Paola Mercogliano and Mauro Buonocore for a conversation about biodiversity, the complexity of living systems and the way we see our place within nature.

CMCC events in Lecce

Thursday 15 October | 7:00–8:00 pm | Sala 500, Convitto Palmieri
ANIME ARTICHE. UNA TRILOGIA

Thursday 15 October | 8:15–10:15 pm | Sala 500 Convitto Palmieri
CAMBIAMENTO MEDIATICO. STRUMENTI, FONTI, DATI E REDAZIONI PER INFORMARE SULLA CRISI CLIMATICA

Friday 16 October | 11:00 am–12:00 am | Fondazione Cmcc | Edu_Care
GUERRA E CLIMA. L’ECOCIDIO CHE DISTRUGGE LA TERRA

Friday 16 October | 7:00–8:00 pm | Sala 500 Convitto Palmieri | Libri
GUERRA E CLIMA. L’ECOCIDIO CHE DISTRUGGE LA TERRA

Friday 16 October | 8:15–9:30 pm | Sala 500 Convitto Palmieri | Libri
QUESTA NON È UN’EMERGENZA: ADATTAMENTO, POLITICHE TERRITORIALI, SCIENZA E PROCESSI DECISIONALI

Saturday 17 October | 4:30–5:30 pm | Castello Carlo V | Libri
NON SIAMO GLI UNICI. L’ARTE SEGRETA DELLA NATURA

All events are part of the programme of Conversazioni sul Futuro in Lecce. All events will be in Italian.