A Methodological Approach to Assess the Effectiveness of Planning Tools to Address Locust Infestations in a Changing Climate Context: A Case Study in Sardinia (Italy)

Locusts are recognized globally as one of the worst pests affecting human activities in the agricultural sector. From 2019 to 2024, a severe outbreak of the Moroccan locust (Dociostaurus maroccanus) occurred in Sardinia (Italy). We aim to propose a methodological approach and useful criteria for considering locust infestations risk in regional and/or subregional plans that affect land use and landscape. The idea is to integrate prevention strategies into planning practice, in the context of climate changes affecting the development and spread of insects, including locusts. As for the methodology, from an analysis of scientific literature, we have distilled five useful criteria for assessing whether spatial planning tools integrate locust-related issues. The criteria are intended as a scoreboard to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the plans. We applied the five criteria to assess a regional and a municipal master plan adopted in Sardinia. The findings show that the regional plan received a positive evaluation while the municipal master plan did not meet any criteria. As countermeasures, we suggest that public administrations and planners integrate the criteria while designing planning tools affecting land use and land management.