Italy behind schedule in meeting EU green goals, document shows

Italy needs to invest more and step up efforts to meet a European Union 2030 target for lower carbon emissions, a government document showed, highlighting the country’s challenges to keep up with EU green ambitions. The Italian government has already found itself at loggerheads with Brussels about several green directives including one regarding energy efficiency of buildings.

In the government document, seen by Reuters, the energy ministry said that current policies would cut emissions in transport, housing, agriculture, waste, services and the energy-light industries by 35-37% versus 2005 levels. But this is far below a decarbonisation goal of 43.7% by 2030 earmarked for Italy by Brussels last April. “To comply with the 2021-2030 emission trajectory, which will have to lead to achieving the -43.7% target… it will be necessary to immediately initiate a significant reduction in emissions of more than 30% compared to 2021 levels,” the ministry said.

Among the measures under consideration, the ministry cites incentives to boost home-working across the country to cut emissions from travelling to and from work, as well as using both private and public investment to renovate buildings to make them more energy efficient.

Source: ECEEE