The strong dynamism of the energy sector, driven by unprecedented technological transformation and innovation, is increasingly placing the energy transition towards clean and renewable energy sources at the centre of the international agenda, in close connection with environmental and climate change issues. This is a political, security and economic priority, giving rise to the need of addressing the so-called “energy trilemma”, that is, being able to secure stable and predictable energy supplies at a competitive cost for households and businesses, without failing to fulfill the commitment to long-term sustainability, keeping in sight the energy transition targets to 2030 and net-zero emissions to 2050. This is a relevant issue especially for countries like Italy, which are heavily dependent on energy imports.
In this context, energy security has assumed a central role in our foreign policy, engaging our country in a series of variable geometry formats at bilateral and multilateral level, also within the EU, in order to protect our interests and promote tighter collaborations with suppliers and partners, acting in areas such as the Mediterranean, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Caspian, and the Gulf, as well as in the many dedicated international fora.
The Farnesina plays a central role in linking national priorities with international action, also through coordination with the whole national system. Our foreign policy therefore includes key themes for national energy interests, such as:
– energy security: the Russian-Ukrainian conflict has brought about a collective rethinking of energy supply choices and the revision of some mechanisms in international and European markets. Within this framework, Italy is committed to a comprehensive global action to safeguard national and European energy security. Our energy diplomacy efforts have focused on seeking alternative supplies to those from Russia, strengthening collaborations with traditional partners and promoting new ones;
– the promotion of renewables and energy efficiency, in order to foster economic growth, job creation, and the fight against energy poverty: these objectives have gained an even greater importance in the context of the international energy crisis;
– the cooperative and shared use of natural resources in the Mediterranean with other coastal countries, with a view to broader strategic collaborations in future sectors (electricity interconnections, renewables and green hydrogen production, energy efficiency, etc.);
– a distinguished participation in the main organisations in the energy field.
Italy’s objectives are in line with the actions undertaken at EU level to free ourselves from energy dependence from Moscow, as well as with the provisions of the EU Energy Union (i.e. energy security and solidarity; a fully integrated energy market; energy efficiency and demand moderation; decarbonisation of the economy; research, innovation and competitiveness) and the European Green Deal, which sets the ultimate goal of reaching climate neutrality by 2050, with ambitious intermediate targets at 2030.
The energy transition also represents a lasting and sustainable solution against the inherent critical issues in the fossil fuel market system. Italy’s starting point – also thanks to the global leadership of several of our industrial groups – is that of a virtuous and ambitious country, with renewable production and energy efficiency targets at 2030 in line with, or even higher than, those established by the EU, with a view to achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
Structurally, the share of renewable sources and natural gas (an enabling resource for stabilisation and transition to renewables) in the energy mix are increasing, whereas oil is decreasing and solid fuels are becoming residual, with a planned cessation of electricity generation from coal by 2025.