We compare recent unrest episodes at Campi Flegrei caldera (Naples, Italy), with phenomena occurred during the historical eruption in 1538. Besides proposing a new, accurate reconstruction of the ground movements in the area since VIII century BC, we deduce a striking similarity of the present unrest with the precursors to the 1538 eruption. We then infer that, if the ground uplift continues, earthquakes up to magnitude 5 are expected, as well as a considerable eruption risk in the next decades.

This paper starts by showing the present low performance of eruption forecasting and then addresses the problem of effectively mitigating the highest volcanic risk in the world, represented by the Naples area (southern Italy). The problem is considered in a highly multidisciplinary way, taking into account the main economic, sociological and urban planning issues. Our study gives precise guidelines to assessing and managing volcanic risk in any densely urbanised area.

A MagellanPlus workshop was held in Naples, Italy (25–28 February 2017), to explore the potential of the Campi Flegrei caldera as a target for an Amphibious Drilling Proposal to be submitted to international drilling programs. Campi Flegrei is an ideal natural laboratory to analyze the mechanisms of caldera dynamics and the relationships between hydrothermal and magmatic processes. The results will significantly advance our understanding of the most complex forms of volcanic structures on Earth.

The Newberry Deep Drilling Project (NDDP) will be located on the Newberry Volcano, Oregon, USA, at an idle geothermal exploration well, NWG 46-16, drilled in 2008, 3500 m deep and 340–374 °C at bottom, which will be deepened another 1000 to 1300 m to reach 500 °C. The main goals are to test EGS in the ductile/brittle transition zone and to test technology for drilling, well completion, and geophysical monitoring in a very high temperature environment.