The ninth session of the Interministerial Steering Committee on the Geopolitics of Energy and the Climate was held yesterday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Manlio Di Stefano, chaired the session. The first session was open to public sector companies, civil society, and think tanks.
Italy’s main challenges and opportunities in the aftermath of the Italian-led G20 and COP26 in Glasgow were framed, and energy issues in the Mediterranean area were discussed. Attention was also devoted to the latest developments in the “Fit for 55″ regulatory package presented by the EU Commission last July and the dynamics of energy price growth in Europe and strategies to contain increases in the medium to long term.
Manlio Di Stefano, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, stated: ” To be implemented sustainably and credibly, the transition from the most polluting sources to renewable energies requires adequate transitional measures and impressive climate finance instruments, in particular, to support the most vulnerable countries. Italy has accomplished a great deal, pledging USD 1.4 billion annually for the next five years, contributing to the UN Green Climate Fund, among other things. We also call for a new ad hoc issue of Special Drawing Rights by the International Monetary Fund to combat climate change. These are exceptionally complex challenges, which affect the lives of all citizens. For this reason, for the first time, we wanted to open the Steering Committee to the voice of the civil society, which made a significant contribution.
“Deputy Minister Di Stefano concluded: “The Steering Committee on the geopolitics of energy and the climate has proved to be a concrete discussion forum. It allows the institutions to confront each other and consolidate a relationship between institutions and the business world. It is a fundamental step in contributing to the best pursuit of the national interest”.