Taranto Promote the growth of natural capital while simultaneously reducing the current level of degradation; promote economic activities, both historically existing ones (e.g. mussel farming and fishing) and those that can derive from new innovative, environmentally sustainable processes, which can develop on the banks of the basin; promote the sustainable tourism development of the Mar Piccolo; improve the efficiency of the reclamation action in economic, temporal and health terms. The sustainable reclamation of the Mar Piccolo
Taranto – These are the priorities identified to give new life and impetus to Mar Piccolo of Taranto in the document that this morning, Friday 17 May, was delivered to the Extraordinary Commissioner for Reclamation, Vito Felice Uricchio,
during a press conference held in the Prefecture and attended by the scientific representatives prof. Maria Casola and Nicola Fortunatowho illustrated the participatory process underlying the initiative, prof. Paolo Pardolesi, director of the Jonico Department, prof. Michele Mossa for the Polytechnic of Bari, Dr Piera Ielpo for the CNR, prof. Angelo Tursi for CONISMA, Dr Angela Dibenedetto representing ISA.
The objective, explained the scientific representatives Casola and Fortunato, is to start a broad participatory process which has as its object the care and valorisation of the Mar Piccolo and, therefore, the implementation of sustainable reclamation cannot be ignored, in compliance with the “Charter for sustainable reclamation” which, as is known, represents a strategic document in which the principles of environmental, economic, temporal, health, production and ethical sustainability of reclamation interventions are crystallized.
“Finally we start again! There is great anticipation and concrete hope for the reclamation of the Mar Piccolo in Taranto now that Prof. is the Commissioner for Reclamation. Vito Uricchio, geologist with a curriculum of excellence in the field of research and application of the most current technologies, president of PANEL for MISE projects, just to mention some of the most significant experiences, and undisputed personality of absolute charisma capable of fruitful interlocution with the audience of stakeholders and with all institutional levels.”, commented the prof. Paolo Pardolesi, director of the Jonico Department. “Through university research and its commitment to the third mission – added Pardolesi – the Jonico Department is always at the forefront in the study and dissemination, in the appropriate locations and forms, of the best possibilities for valorising the territory and in supporting the most brilliant and innovative capable of constituting a growth enzyme for it”.
The document delivered by the Jonico Department to Commissioner Uricchio summarizes the results of very extensive scientific studies (carried out by CNR, the University of Bari, the Polytechnic of Bari and other Italian universities, almost all represented by CoNISMa which is the National Inter-university Consortium of Marine Sciences) and highlights the absolute preciousness of the Mar Piccolo which, with its peculiar dimensional, morphological and ecological characteristics, represents a particularly complex, unique environmental system of extraordinary naturalistic value. It urgently requires remediation of the pollutants accumulated in its sediments and waters even if, thanks to its surprising resilience, it still manages to be the habitat of a flora and fauna heritage of inestimable value.
“I am particularly pleased – declared Commissioner Uricchio – of this formal start of dialogue with the scientific world which is strategic since the fields of knowledge cross-fertilize each other, even more so in actions such as reclamation, which are intrinsically complex and interdisciplinary and require varied and specialists. I would like to particularly thank professors Casola and Fortunato who with patience and passion are carrying out a broad participatory process in a broad and necessary dialogue on this long-awaited reclamation that we will build together: together with the scientific community, the production categories, all the stakeholders and also to that part of the city free from associations and memberships which, however, has the right to express its point of view. We want to listen to everyone – he then concluded – because this clean-up that is being requested from many quarters, and today also with clarity and commitment from the scientific world, is, and will be, everyone’s clean-up for the good of all. I’ve said it several times. This is my idea of a Just Transition.
The Charter for sustainable reclamation, which represents a strategic document in which the principles of environmental, economic, temporal, health, production and ethical sustainability of reclamation interventions are crystallized, constitutes one of our most precious mantras”.
For the prof. Michele Mossa of the Polytechnic of Bari, “through active collaboration with the scientific world, I believe it is appropriate to complete the identification of the causes of pollution of the Mar Piccolo; seek a definitive solution to these causes of pollution; intervene in the most appropriate way to reclaim the area, with the involvement of various interdisciplinary skills. These aspects – concluded Mossa – are of great importance for environmental protection, the well-being of the entire ecosystem and, therefore, public health, in the certainty that this will also have strong and positive repercussions on the Taranto and therefore Italian economy” .
Dr. Piera Ielpo of the CNR focused on the ongoing climate variations. “The global temperatures of the planet, recorded by the Copernicus Programme,” she said, “led to defining 2023 as the hottest year ever recorded, with an increase that came close to 1.5°C compared to the reference pre-industrial climate. In the general context of the serious climate crisis that our planet is experiencing, we can no longer ignore a cultural transformation that sees care for the environment at the center of our actions. The reclamation and redevelopment project of the Mar Piccolo in Taranto fits into this vision”.
In his short speech, Prof. Angelo Tursi of Conisma, a profound expert on the problems of the Mar Piccolo, highlighted the need and urgency to proceed with reclaiming the polluted areas present and the contextual need to protect the high biodiversity present in the same basin. “We need to have – added the prof. Tursi – a holistic vision of the reclamation problem involving the various stakeholders, including sociologists, pedagogists and economists who will have to associate with biologists, geologists, chemists, engineers etc. In short – he then concluded – there is a need for a participatory vision to identify, collectively, the priorities for intervention”.
The first public appointment for the start of the participatory process is on Tuesday 4 June, starting from 3.30 pm, in the headquarters of the Jonico Department of UniBa, in via Duomo 259.
