The relationship between environmental sustainability and economic, social and infrastructural development must form the nucleus of a discussion that embraces energy-concerned opinion-makers as well as players from industry and from national and European institutions. The first step is to perform a multifaceted analysis of the sector’s recent evolution, not least in terms of legislation, with the aim of renewing perspectives and priorities.
Departing from a supranational plane, it can be observed how decision-maker sensibilities in the drafting of directives and policies have shifted; indeed, it is undeniable that the new development paradigms – both public and private – must factor in obligatory environmental sustainability goals. For that reason, it is imperative to confront the domestic impact of defining certain procedural routes and establishing bold sustainability objectives. Moreover, having a meaningful impact calls for reducing the timeframes within which to achieve the various milestones.
It therefore appears obvious that private economic initiative cannot be undertaken in the absence of full coherence with basic protection principles; at the same time, public and private economic needs must be steered and coordinated with both social and environmental aims in mind. It is thus possible to consider the implications of a governance that establishes investment priorities but nevertheless has the political capital needed to eliminate inefficiencies; the aims must be to design systemic solutions capable of addressing the structural urgencies that will inevitably emerge as well as to harmonize competing, rather than contrasting, interests.
There is, on the one hand, a willingness to pursue and parse economic plans within a logic of sustainability by improving the efficiency of productive processes; on the other hand, however, what come clearly to the fore are the obstacles to the full application of the sustainability criteria currently considered indispensable, as well as the systemic limitations to implementing them. Thanks to analyses of the impediments to private investments and the pursuit of environmental objectives, it is possible to form a shared interpretation capable of improving the understanding of economic and social sustainability in all its various forms. Underpinning everything is the need to depart from a technological neutrality approach, given the urgency for Italy to continue to strengthen the conditions that foster enterprise and investment.
Such an approach also leads to the opportunity to shift the angle of observation to an intergenerational perspective capable of merging the interests of today with those of tomorrow. This is no easy task: indeed, success calls for an environment that unites all actors in the adoption of a holistic vision.