The contribution of the scientific research for a less vulnerable and more resilient community: the Val d’Agri (Southern Italy) case

The increasingly intensive use of natural resources with consequent environmental impacts has generated numerous social conflicts over the years, for whose solution it is necessary to build up an innovative territorial governance model based on sustainable and resilience thinking. At the international level, the problems associated with oil and gas extraction activities have been tackled by recognizing scientific research as a strategic role aimed at guaranteeing a more in-depth knowledge of environmental issues, the creation of collaboration networks between the various stakeholders and the whole usability of environmental data. This article presents the commitment made by the National Research Council of Italy–Institute of Methodologies for Environmental Analysis–CNR-IMAA to make the Val d’Agri community, an area affected by mining activities, less vulnerable and more resilient. Through the combined use of different scientific research methodologies, a multidisciplinary approach was developed which contributed to increasing the overall knowledge of the environmental problems of Val d’Agri as well as providing concrete indications for the development of more effective territorial management tools. Other activities, complementary to those of research, were aimed at ensuring correct and detailed environmental data information and communication and a broaden participation and involvement of citizens.