Today, a meeting of the interdepartmental “Energy, Environment and Climate” steering committee was held, by tele conference, chaired by Deputy Minister Manlio Di Stefano, attended by representatives of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry for Economic Development, Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Defence, Italian Permanent Representation to the European Union and the G20 Sherpa of the Presidency of the Council, Ambassador Piero Benassi.
The meeting addressed a range of topics, from the energy/climate programme priorities for the Italian G20 Presidency to the partnership with the UK in view of the CoP26, climate finance, including the European Green Deal, Recovery Fund (Next Gen EU) and the Italian participation in the Important Projects of Common European Interest on hydrogen and fuel cells. The issue of energy security and future infrastructure projects in the Mediterranean region were also addressed.
“Italy is among the global leaders in green strategy and the achievement of the United Nations sustainability goals” – the Deputy Minister said – “However, we need to resolve the energy/climate dichotomy and we intend to do so by focusing on energy sources that work in perfect symbiosis with the world we live in. All these issues will be channelled through the presidency of the G20 and the co-presidency of COP26”.
“The central idea – he continued – is to consider energy as a function of the climate and the environment. In other words, the search for a real synergy between environmental goals, industry, market and climate finance. This ambitious result can only be achieved through a joint effort of government, political actors and major national companies”.
“This is why today I have once again called a meeting of the “Energy, Environment and Climate” steering committee, involving all the competent Government departments to outline the Italian strategy to be adopted at the forthcoming European and international forums. A further meeting of the steering committee will then be called including the strategic public companies operating in the sector”. – Mr. Di Stefano concluded.
