Positive Choices for a Sustainable Future: Perspectives from Italy's Green Transition

"It is not the negative choices that transform society but the positive ones. Political choices in terms of sustainability should not penalize workers and companies but should reward environmentally sustainable behaviors through significant tax breaks and public investments. All choices must be mediated on the ground; they cannot be dogmatic. It is necessary to bring the political decision-maker closer to those who, every day, face the cost of the environmental choice on the ground. If the choice to be environmentalists is made in Europe, Europe must then demand it from the rest of the world," stated Angelo Bruscino, president of Confapi Campania and Confidi Pmi, author of the book "The Possible Environmentalism, Green Deal, PNRR, and Energy Transition: The Great Transformation of Italy's Future," published by Historica Giubilei Regnani, during the presentation held at Confagricoltura. The green new deal and environmentalism, in particular, must overcome ideological currents. Environmentalism must become a secular religion available to everyone that governs the economy and political choices and must help us transform society in the direction of growth and the production of well-being. Even paying higher costs of some choices that must ensure to transform into a benefit for future generations. The meeting opened with a message from Vannia Gava, Deputy Minister of the Environment: "The winning word for the future of our country and economies in general is sustainability. It is not conceivable to pursue the necessary environmental protection and collectively assumed decarbonization goals through policies of social impoverishment and industrial desertification. The Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security and the Italian Government are committed at European and international tables to promote a vision that is as balanced as possible among the different variables that make up the complex path of transition, thus assuming challenging objectives, but that are sustainable, aware of the duty to accompany our communities and our industrial systems towards reconversion and a new cultural sensitivity." For Alessio Postiglione, co-author of the book: "Environmentalism, to be possible, must find a balance between environmental sustainability and social and economic sustainability. Often today we confront an ideological environmentalism that proposes degrowth and is sometimes against businesses and farmers. Instead, we need to make our economy more efficient and fair so that it looks after the interests of the next generations. The balance between environment and industrial development is complex and dynamic, and we must talk about it publicly by informing citizens. The costs of the energy transition cannot be at the expense of businesses and workers. If we talk about a public goal, adequate industrial policies are needed that tend towards the transition to be supported." On the need to involve the younger generations, Simona Baldassarre, Lazio Region's Councilor for Youth Policies, focused: "The green deal involves young people who are passionate about the theme of environmental defense. But we must explain to them that extreme religions are not needed but we must believe in a healthy environmentalism, not that of eco-vandals. Let's teach them the culture of environmental respect in a healthy and not extreme way." Host on behalf of Confagricoltura Donato Rotundo, director of the sustainable development area: "An important effort is needed after what has happened in recent weeks. The green deal and the common agricultural policy had been planned before Covid and wars. Today there is a need to update them and gradualness is needed in the adoption of some interventions that risk losing competitiveness to companies." During the conference, the dossier "Italy Green" was presented. The challenge between environmental policy and energy innovation, for Nazione Futura, edited by Ciro Miale. "The energy transition is the challenge of challenges. In our dossier - Miale emphasized - we have explored the plan for Energy and Climate presented to Europe by Italy in June 2023 with approval expected by June 2024, and we have delved into the theme of RePower EU in the remodulation of the PNRR that allocate over 11 billion euros for the decarbonization of production processes and for the installation of photovoltaic and wind plants also giving incentives for energy communities." According to Serena Bianchini, Ferpi Lazio delegate: "The theme of environmental communication becomes fundamental when talking about sustainability because it extends in this case to politics, society, and the economy. It must therefore necessarily be managed by crisis communication professionals who know how to work well with such delicate issues." Lorenzo Castellani, a lecturer at Luiss, pointed out that "power is becoming increasingly technical and bureaucratic to the detriment of medium and small businesses in traditional sectors. It is necessary to understand this phenomenon well to understand the risks and avoid centralist and dirigiste planning drifts that penalize those who produce and work."