A prominent voice on climate, environment, ecology, and forests, Ferdinando Cotugno, journalist for Domani and author of the newsletter and podcast Areale, has been awarded the 2024 “Romeo Bassoli” Prize for climate and sustainability journalism.

“We need to talk more about solutions, about the future, about possibilities and openness, and not feel condemned to decline and collapse,” writes Ferdinando Cotugno in the latest edition of his Areale newsletter, reflecting on how we talk about the climate crisis. “We will (and I will) continue to talk about solutions, standing on the side of hope. But for hope to be credible, it cannot lose sight of reality.”

Areale, curated by Cotugno for the Italian newspaper Domani, delves into climate change, energy transition, and biodiversity, showing how these issues impact both the environment and society. The name, referring to the geographic area where a species lives, serves as a metaphor for how our world is changing under the pressures of climate shifts and how our species is adapting to these changes.

Sent out every Saturday morning, the newsletter is a valuable resource for anyone wanting to stay updated on climate-related news, policies, and debates. Cotugno actively covers international events that shape global climate policies—such as the annual UN climate conferences—and enriches his reports with insights and interviews with key climate policy figures. During COP28 in Dubai, for instance, his newsletter became a crucial reference for up-to-date information and critical analysis of the climate negotiations.

For his work on Areale and his extensive journalism in publications such as Il Sole 24 Ore, Linkiesta, and Vanity Fair, as well as for his podcasts and books on contemporary environmental and climate issues, the Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change (CMCC) has awarded Ferdinando Cotugno the “Romeo Bassoli” Prize for scientific journalism on climate and sustainability.

The Romeo Bassoli Prize

Romeo Bassoli, one of the most brilliant interpreters of Italian science journalism, emphasized the role of science as a cultural, economic, and social driver. Between 1989 and 1990, he created the first daily science page in Italian newspapers. As the press officer for the National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN) and co-founder of Zadig’s Rome office with Eva Benelli, he left a lasting legacy in science communication.

The CMCC commemorates Bassoli with the “Romeo Bassoli Prize for Scientific Journalism on Climate and Sustainability,” awarded to individuals who excel in expertise, innovation, and originality in scientific journalism on climate and sustainability.

Romeo Bassoli Prize 2024 awarded to Ferdinando Cotugno

The 2024 Romeo Bassoli Prize will be awarded to Ferdinando Cotugno at the Conversazioni sul Futuro festival on Friday, October 18 at the Castromediano Museum Auditorium in Lecce. The ceremony will be preceded by talks on the climate crisis, the challenges of climate journalism, and ways to enhance public awareness about risks and future solutions.

During the panel Con le giuste parole: il giornalismo di fronte alla sfida climatica, Cotugno will engage in conversation with Gaia Scorza Barcellona (Repubblica – Green&Blue), Luca Carra (Scienzainrete.it), and Simone Fontana (Facta, A Fuoco), moderated by Mauro Buonocore, Head of Communications at the CMCC Foundation.

Ferdinando Cotugno describes himself as “Journalist. Neapolitan, as sometimes happens, currently living in Milan. I write about climate, environment, ecology, and forests.” In addition to curating Areale for Domani, he created the podcast Ecotoni, dedicated to Italy’s forests. He has authored Italian Wood (Mondadori, 2020) and, in 2022, Primavera ambientale: L’ultima rivoluzione per salvare la vita umana sulla Terra (Il Margine).