Today, sustainability must be a priority for those who govern us. The environment, land and waste are the issues that matter most to Italians: let's look at what the main parties' electoral programmes propose ahead of the Italian elections on 4 March.
The LifeGate editorial team is following the event with an election live blog starting at 18:00. We look forward to having you join us to comment together in real time on the long marathon. Happy voting to everyone.
Environmental protection, the fight against climate change and the safeguarding of minorities and the most vulnerable social groups are the most pressing issues — the ones it is most worthwhile to draw out from the electoral programmes of the main parties and coalitions running in the general election on Sunday 4 March. Polling will take place from 7:00 to 23:00 to elect the new parliament, made up of deputies and senators who will in turn elect the government that will lead the country over the next five years. Here is a brief guide summarising who says what on the subject of environmental and social sustainability.
The centre-right proposes an electoral programme centred on reducing energy waste, to be achieved through grid efficiency improvements and particular attention to consumption in the construction, transport and industrial sectors. The use of renewable energy and innovative technologies will be promoted, and efforts will be made to guarantee security of supply.
The focus is on promoting the territory, with an extraordinary plan for the regeneration of peripheral areas, the "restoration" of coastlines and sites of monumental interest. Added to this is the creation of a code of rules to protect the rights of pets and companion animals.
In particular, Lega, led by Matteo Salvini, plans to invest in mountain communities and to grant tax incentives to those who choose to devote themselves to farming. Fratelli d'Italia, on the other hand, wishes to encourage the consumption of locally sourced products, safeguard rural culture and protect the seas. Noi con l'Italia focuses on combating eco-mafias and proposes reward measures for local authorities that manage separate waste collection in an exemplary way.
The coalition aims to eradicate absolute poverty in Italy with a plan to support citizens living in extreme hardship, to double the minimum disability pension, and to provide incentives for the inclusion of disabled people in the workplace. Nurseries are to become free and substantial family allowances will be granted; in addition, the work of young mothers and women in general will be protected in defence of equal opportunities.
From the point of view of migration, the idea is to draw up treaties and agreements with the countries of origin of economic migrants and to vary a Marshall Plan for Africa, with targeted investments to create jobs on the continent while at the same time opening up opportunities for European businesses. Forza Italia, led by Silvio Berlusconi, believes that migratory flows are "a global phenomenon that can only be resolved through international intervention".
The electoral programme of the Partito democratico, led by Matteo Renzi, former Prime Minister from 2014 to 2016, sits within the broader framework of the Paris Agreement on climate and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The intention is to push forward the National Energy Strategy, which envisages an increase in energy production from renewable sources of 28 per cent by 2030. At the same time, efforts will be made to improve the competitiveness of Italian industry, which in the future "will be increasingly determined by its sustainability".
Sustainability must be comprehensive and translate into support for organic farming and agri-energy, the strengthening of waste sorting and recycling systems, the reduction of CO2 emissions, and a fight against unchecked urban development. The aim is to eliminate pesticide use by 2025, to counter drought and combat desertification with an extraordinary plan to cut water losses from aqueducts by 50 per cent.
Measures will be implemented for the regeneration of cities and to help them transform into smart cities. On mobility, the focus will be on expanding and extending rail networks and improving access to seaports, on car sharing and cycling, continuing the investment made in 1,500 kilometres of cycle paths and incentivising home-to-school cycling routes in urban areas.
The Insieme list, which includes the Verdi party, backs the "Green New Deal" — that is, it aims to give the economy a boost by leveraging sustainable initiatives that can create new employment opportunities. Decarbonisation, with the abandonment of fossil fuels by 2025, is a priority; protecting the landscape and making cities more liveable by enhancing soft mobility are other key points.
The Più Europa party led by Emma Bonino shares the same objective, that of "building a new model of long-term sustainable development". It intends to work to reduce the air pollution affecting many areas, by focusing on the electrification of public and private transport and by discouraging the most polluting forms of building heating.
Mothers will be entitled for six months to pay equal to 30 per cent of their salary not only if they remain at home after giving birth, but also if they return to work (in the form of a childcare voucher). The Partito democratico commits to doubling the funds available for the reddito di inclusione and intends to establish educational priority areas in territories with the highest poverty rates.
The aim is to reform adoption legislation to guarantee equal rights for children, and to provide training for law enforcement and healthcare staff on issues of gender-based violence.
Dialogue with the governments of immigrants' countries of origin "must be guided by the principles of democracy, respect for human rights and development. Principles that for the Pd represent the heart of the entire project for managing immigration, reception and integration policies". With this in mind, the plans include moving beyond the immigration law also known as the Bossi-Fini, after the names of its promoters, closer interaction between central and local institutions, and international cooperation between police forces.
Liberi e uguali, led by the current President of the Senate Pietro Grasso, is pursuing the total decarbonisation of the country, with a transition to renewable energy by 2050: with this in mind, the electoral programme envisages the introduction of a tax on the use of coal, oil and other fossil fuels. The ultimate goal is energy democracy, in which citizens and communities are simultaneously consumers, producers and distributors of energy.
The party aims to redirect "state subsidies currently directed at supporting activities that are harmful to the environment towards virtuous interventions for the regeneration of our cities", to promote Italian natural capital, set a limit on the indiscriminate exploitation of land, reduce the environmental impact of productive activities, and promote organic farming and animal welfare. The sustainability of the agri-food supply chain is another issue to be included on the political agenda. The focus will also be on sustainable tourism that protects the fragility of the territory in the most heavily visited locations, and on improving the efficiency of the public transport network.
The reddito di inclusione will become a universal tool for combating absolute poverty. "An integrated plan of interventions in favour of people with disabilities, promoting their independent living", their entry into the workforce and