Immagine The CCRC is an inter-disciplinary research group, based at the Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences (DiSTA) of the University of Insubria, Varese-Como (Italy) since 2020.It investigates climate change and climate impacts on natural ecosystems, focusing on mountain and polar regions, and human activities. The researches integrate and combine environmental sciences (climatology, ecology, geobotany, physic, biochemistry, ecotoxicology) and social sciences (philosophy and communication) to understand direction and magnitude of climate change impacts and feedbacks on natural and human systems and to detect mitigation and adaptation options across different spatial and temporal scales. About us Where we work Immagine High latitude and high altitude regions are among the most sensitive and vulnerable environments to climate change, with relevant impacts both on their biotic (e.g. vegetation) and abiotic (e.g. glaciers, permafrost) components and at different levels of ecological organization.These regions act as an 鈥渆arly-warning system鈥, extremely valuable to predict future ecosystem responses to climate change and to assess the efficiency of mitigation and adaptation options.For these reason the CCRC group conducts field research and samples analysis from across the globe, with a focus on mountain (Alps) and polar (European Arctic, Alaska, maritime and continental Antartica) regions and the related human and social systems.The CCRC group manages technical, scientific and logistic aspects also of the project 鈥淚NSUBRE-POLAR鈥 (Toolik Lake, Alaska; 68.630692掳N, 149.610636掳W), in agreement with the central administration of University of Insubria. Enlarge the map.听 Insubre-Polar Immagine The purpose of the 鈥淚NSUBRE-POLAR鈥 project is the establishment of an international laboratory aimed at scientific research and high profile educational training on the issues of Climate and Global Change in the Arctic while also enabling the continuation of ongoing research on the effects of climate change on vegetation, permafrost, glaciers and alien plant species. In addition to scientific outputs, the establishment of a base in the Arctic would have undoubted benefits brought by the improvement of the University's visibility and attractiveness abroad and the related attractiveness of the University to international students and faculty. The Project will begin its research activities by contributing to some NSF funded and long standing American Projects in Northern Alaska such as:Barrow Area Information Database (BAID)Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring (CALM)Global Terrestrial Network for Permafrost (GTN P)National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON)International Tundra Experiment (ITEX)Arctic Observatory Network (AON)The main objective of the project and is to study carbon dioxide and methane emissions due to permafrost degradation caused by climate change. Data collection will see operators engaged every day at several monitoring points in the Arctic tundra not far from the Toolik Lake station. Associated with it will be further geomorphological, vegetation, hydrological and microbiological analyses. Goals Immagine Climate change, mitigation, adaptation and risk management are among the most important research topics to raise awareness about risks associated with climate variability and change and to produce valuable management tool for environment conservation and restoration and for a sustainable future.To reach these goals, the CCRC group aims to promote theoretical and applied inter-disciplinary researches, with innovative techniques, and to enhance research and educational expertise on several topics, such as:Climatology and meteorology;Paleoclimate;Impact of climate change on abiotic and biotic components of ecosystems, with primary focus on high latitudes and high altitudes;Impact of anthropogenic activities on climate change and related feedbacks;Identification of good practices and strategies to achieve climate mitigation and adaptation.The produced results and knowledge of the group are shared with national and international research institutions and with stakeholders at local and national scale, to raise awareness and to implement the research effort on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change. Team Director:听鈥 Full Professor, Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences (DiSTA)Members:听鈥 Full Professor, Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences (DiSTA)听听鈥 Full Professor, Department of Science and High Technology (DiSAT)听听鈥 Full Professor, Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences (DiSTA)听听鈥撎鼺ull Professor, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences (DBSV)听Negrini Daniela听鈥撎鼺ull Professor, Department of Medicine and Surgery (DMC)听鈥撎鼳ssociate Professor, Department of Human Sciences, Innovation, Territory (DiSUIT)听听鈥 Associate Professor, Department of Science and High Technology (DiSAT)听听鈥撎鼳ssociate Professor Department of Human Sciences, Innovation, Territory (DiSUIT)听听鈥撎齍niversity researcher, Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences (DiSTA)听鈥撎齊esearch associate, Department of Science and High technology (DiSTA)听听鈥撎齊esearch associate, Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences (DiSTA)听Addamo Anna Maria听鈥撎齋cientific Project Officer, DIR D2 Water and Marine Resources, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra (Italy); researcher, Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), Madrid (Spain) Research Publications听Forte, E., Azzaro, M., Cannone, N., Longhi, A., Santin, I., & Guglielmin, M. (2025) A warming pulse in the Antarctic continent changed the landscape during the Middle Ages.听Communications Earth & Environment, 6(1), 281. Lu, C., van Groenigen, K.J., Gillespie, M.A.K., Hollister, R.D., Post, E., Cooper, E.J., et al. (2025) Diminishing warming effects on plant phenology over time. New Phytologist, 245(2), 523鈥533. Casiraghi, C., Malfasi, F., Cannone, N. (2024). A multicriteria protocol for the set-up and long-term monitoring of a pilot project for the restoration of alpine vegetation threatened by climate change. Ecological Indicators, 165, 112204. Cannone, N., Malfasi, F. (2024). Climate change triggered synchronous woody plants recruitment in the last two centuries in the treeline ecotone of the Northern Hemisphere. Science of The Total Environment, 921, 170953. Ponti, S., Girola, I., Guglielmin, M. (2024). Thermal photogrammetry on a permafrost rock wall for the active layer monitoring. Science of The Total Environment, 917, 170391. Guglielmin, M., Azzaro, M., Buzzini, P., Battistel, D., Roman, M., Ponti, S., Turchetti, B., Sannino, C., Borruso, L., Papale, M., & Lo Giudice, A. (2023). A possible unique ecosystem in the endoglacial hypersaline brines in Antarctica. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 1鈥9. 听Piccinelli, S., Francon, L., Corona, C., Stoffel, M., Slamova, L., & Cannone, N. (2023). Vessels in a Rhododendron ferrugineum (L.) population do not trace temperature anymore at the alpine shrubline. Frontiers in Plant Science, 13(January), 1鈥15. 听Tarca, G., & Guglielmin, M. (2022). Evolution of the sparse debris cover during the ablation season at two small Alpine glaciers (Gran Zebr霉 and Sforzellina, Ortles-Cevedale group). Geomorphology, 409(January), 108268. 听听Tarca, G., Guglielmin, M., Convey, P., Worland, M. R., & Cannone, N. (2022). Small-scale spatial鈥搕emporal variability in snow cover and relationships with vegetation and climate in maritime Antarctica. Catena, 208(September 2021). 听 Contacts Director:Prof.听听Postal address:Climate Change Research CenterUniversity of Insubria 鈥撎鼶iSTAVia J.H. Dunant, 321100 Varese (Italy)听Email:ccrc@uninsubria.itPhone:+39 0332 421445+39 031 2386662 Documents Data sharing "Glacier CC" project - Data are available Join us The application of motivated scientists and students and of talented professionals to the CRCC group is welcome.听Please submit a spontaneous application by sending your scientific CV and cover letter (emphasizing academic degree, area of study and preferred research areas) to ccrc@uninsubria.it and wait for a reply from our group.You鈥檒l be contacted either for a successful or unsuccessful application. Browse the section