The fact that one of the most debated measures in the forthcoming budget law concerns the environment is something new. We are talking about the plastic tax, on which Stefano Bonaccini, president of Emilia-Romagna, has taken a position, explaining to us what sustainability means to him.
To defend the planet, people are taking to the streets. Environmental protection features in almost every prime-time television news bulletin. Further confirmation of the resonance that the topic of sustainability is acquiring comes from a sector that might at first glance seem among the most distant: the economy. On 29 October 2019, the current Conte bis government, made up of the coalition that emerged from an agreement between the Partito democratico and the Movimento 5 stelle, presented the draft budget law for 2020, and since that day debate has centred on one of the measures it contains: the introduction of the so-called plastic tax.
The government intends to introduce, in April – or in July if it decides to postpone it – a tax on single-use plastic products. It is expected to amount to one euro per kilogram, but since a figure of that size would risk doubling production costs for manufacturers, it could be reduced.
Despite the parallel objective of helping companies in their efforts to convert to sustainable alternatives by introducing incentive mechanisms, opponents doubt the effectiveness of the new levy as a deterrent against plastic production and consumption. In truth, the government itself would appear to be sceptical, given that, as Il Sole 24 Ore reveals, "the revenue entered in the public finance balances does not decrease over time." In other words, the state expects to continue collecting regular income from the plastic tax, rising from one billion euros in 2020 to 1.8 billion in 2021.
The person who criticised the tax and proposed the possible amendments mentioned above is Stefano Bonaccini, president of the Emilia-Romagna region. His territory, after all, is home to a highly significant packaging hub. "Forty per cent of the entire Italian supply chain is located here, generating 62 per cent of total Italian turnover, so this is not an Emilia-Romagna issue, but an issue that affects the whole of Italy," Bonaccini explained on Radio Capital. It sounds strange coming from someone who is working to make his region one of the first plastic-free regions in Italy. But to bring this project about, Bonaccini has been in talks with businesses and trade unions for months. "We certainly don't want to kill the economy, but rather make circular economy an opportunity to create jobs," he tells LifeGate's editorial team. He is convinced that in order to implement virtuous choices, projects and proposals must be put forward that are socially sustainable. https://youtu.be/nuXx006CuIM
In reality, Stefano Ciafani, president of Legambiente and one of the plastic tax's most fervent supporters, takes a similar view. "It is a wholly justified measure. It must be defended from the criticism of the most reactionary section of Italian industry and politics, but during the parliamentary debate certain passages need to be improved," he writes in the Huffpost. "It is reasonable that it should apply to single-use products and not to reusable or compostable ones, but two errors absolutely must be corrected. First of all, it must be made clear that no tax should be imposed on products made from recycled plastic. And then it makes no sense to restrict the scope of the new levy solely to plastic used to produce packaging; it must be extended to that used to make the manufactured goods that surround us in everyday life."
If plastic has become public enemy number one – not without reason, given that more than 700 tonnes end up in the Mediterranean alone every day – the president of Emilia-Romagna is working to ensure the optimal management of all waste. "Three years ago we set a target in the new regional plan that many considered too ambitious: exceeding 73 per cent in separate waste collection by 2020. Having exceeded 68 per cent at the end of last year, we will probably not only hit the target but go even further," he reveals.
He also intends to introduce pay-as-you-throw tariffing. In this way, private citizens and businesses will no longer pay the waste tax based on the number of square metres they occupy, but on the actual quantity of waste they produce. "It is not fair that an elderly couple with a 50-square-metre flat should pay more than a single person who, even though they live in 20 square metres, produces more waste," Bonaccini points out. "And this will simultaneously allow us to reward those who reduce the amount of waste they produce." But there is more: according to Andrea Binelli, former tax assessor for the municipality of Villa Minozzo – the third largest municipal territory in the province of Reggio Emilia – mountain communities like his will also benefit, as they will no longer be disadvantaged compared to the plains, while non-residents will no longer be forced to pay exorbitant rates.
This is a highly topical issue, given that the region has seen tourist arrivals rise, over the past four years, from 45 to 60 million per season, and the separate waste collection system cannot afford to grind to a halt during the summer. "Despite cities like Rimini going from 150,000 people to one million, our accommodation capacity, infrastructure system and sound management of public services ensure the correct handling of tourist flows, making Emilia-Romagna – Romagna in particular – one of the most attractive destinations in the world." So much so that it has been dubbed the food valley, a place people visit not only for the quality of the food and dining, but also to see the very sites of agri-food production, from balsamic vinegar cellars to vineyards, right through to the dairies where Parmigiano Reggiano is made.
A place that may soon attract visitors for its scientific importance too, since the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts and the National Agency for Meteorology and Climatology are to relocate to Bologna, making the Emilian capital the focal point for studies on climate change and global warming. Understanding is necessary before acting in the best possible way. And the Emilia-Romagna administration has done just that, declaring a climate and environmental emergency as called for by ecological movements such as Fridays for Future and Extinction Rebellion.
Read also: How Bologna became Italy's most resilient city
"I believe that only sustainability will be able to guarantee the salvation of the most precious asset we have, which is planet Earth," Bonaccini concludes. A conviction one hopes will not desert him during his election campaign. On 26 January 2020, the citizens of Emilia-Romagna will in fact be called to vote in the regional elections. The outgoing president, candidate of the Democratic Party backed by a centre-left coalition, will be challenged by Lucia Borgonzoni of the Lega, fielded by the centre-right. On the same day, regional elections will also be held in Calabria, while the inhabitants of Campania, Liguria, Marche, Puglia, Tuscany and Veneto will go to the polls between May and June. The mere fact that environmental issues have become a weapon capable of determining the victory or defeat of a political candidate represents a triumph for Italy and for the rest of the world.
