Waste, energy, transport: in Sicily the ecological transition is well behind schedule. This is highlighted by Census that in his latest report, “Green&Blue“, lists 107 Italian provinces and places Sicilian cities almost always at the last places. The index is based on three large dimensions (context, population and businesses) and 26 indicators. Among these, investments technological from the industriesthe consumption of waterfallpollution of the airthe park car circulating, the consumption of soilthe spread of photovoltaic. Among metropolitan cities, Palermo And Catania they are at the bottom (Naples closes the ranking). Messina it is fifth to last, but reveals an encouraging growth trend. Among the provinces with populations between 300 thousand and 500 thousand inhabitants we find Trapani in ninth place, followed by Agrigento at the 17th, Syracuse (24th) e Ragusa (last). In the section dedicated to realities with less than 300 thousand inhabitants there are Caltanissetta (11th place) ed Enna (third to last). Little greentherefore, the Sicilian cities as a whole.
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Messina, the surprise: the growing sustainable city
In rankings they are positioned at the top city as Bologna And Florence between metropolitan areas, or Bolzano And Trent among provinces with more than 500 thousand inhabitants,
or again Pordenone between the intermediate provinces. “You can also see a certain degree of
protagonism by the cities of Noon“, observes Giorgio however De Ritageneral secretary of Census. Barifor example, in the ranking of the 14 metropolitan cities, it ranks at fourth place, “thanks to excellent performances in air quality or in the production of energy from renewable sources or, again, in the availability of green skills within the local business system. Messinapresents one of the higher variations in the period 2013-2023 of the number of businesses green active, or, again, ranks among the first in containing the consumption Of soil in areas of high hydraulic risk”, underlines De Rita. Cagliari occupies top positions in the separate collection service for urban waste and in the net production of energy from renewable sources.
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From Bolzano to Catania, the distance is abysmal
On the topic of industrial reconversion, in particular, Tommaso spoke Castronovopresident of Legambiente Sicily. He called for a “European Pact for the future that truly has the environment at its centre” for the Island, proposing his agenda for the European legislature for the next five years. Among the priorities, a new framework directive that accelerates “decarbonization and reconversion ecological of the industrial sectors most dependent on sources, and in whose territories the consequences in terms will be more evident employment and social issues linked to the transformation of production processes”. The reference is to the industrial areas of Sicilian petrochemicals from Priolo to Milazzo And Frost“whose territories have paid and are still paying a price very high to an industrialization based on fossil“, recalls Castronovo.
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The islands within the island: 157 million euros from the Pnrr
If the Island cries, the islands minors they might start to smile. Thanks to Pnrr which, with the ‘Green Islands’ programme, commits 200 million euros for the ecological transition of the 19 smaller Italian islands, managed by 13 Municipalities. Most of the budget is allocated to 14 smaller Sicilian islands managed by eight municipalities. Over 157 million euros, of which almost 62 million will go to the seven islands Aeolian administered by four municipalities. The funds will be used for interventions on renewablewater networks, management systems wasteefficiency of public buildings e mobility urban sustainable. The program has reached the point of awarding contracts and disbursement to the Municipalities of anticipation by 20%. The first one is underway reporting of the states of progress. The interventions must be completed by 2026.
