The focus of both the G20 in Rome in October and of the COP26 in Glasgow in November was the energy transition. Italy continues to be an active participant in a debate that sheds light on the fact that the transition is not only energy-related, but also an economic, financial, social and cultural one.
Sustainability has been a concern in the financial world for some time now, with steady and significant growth over recent years in investments centered on ESG (environment, sustainability and governance) criteria. Far from slowing that trend, the Corona virus epidemic is proving an accelerator, with investors seizing on the opportunities associated with a “green” recovery and reconstruction.
In stark contrast with the past, any analysis of the year 2020 is dominated by the profound impact of a pandemic so capricious as to thwart any attempt at predicting the future. The fundamental question is whether the change has been a structural one and, as regards energy, if it is capable on its own of accelerating or slowing decarbonization, given the fact that the energy industry remains a prime sector within which to seize recovery-related opportunities.
The Italian and European healthcare systems are under increasing pressure as the result of a series of dynamics involving their populations and of new technological and scientific trends that are calling into question the efficacy and appropriateness of current approaches to the provision of healthcare services.
Banking is one of the sectors most exposed to the digital revolution. The major changes introduced by new technologies and the various actors that have debuted on the credit market are causing traditional operators to wonder about their future. The timid attempts at innovation undertaken to date by Italian banks do not appear sufficient to ensure their competitiveness in a scenario that is seeing sources of short and medium term returns shrinking.
Wealth creation, energy demand and CO2 emissions continued even through 2018, building on the trend of the previous year. With every day that passes, the problem of reducing emissions becomes more urgent and its complexity more evident. A complexity that began to emerge at the very beginning of annual emission measurement but that does not offer a holistic rendering of the phenomenon.
Widespread and well-rooted start-ups – recently formed and highly innovative companies – are often seen as proxies for competition in a given territory and its ecosystem. Starts-ups in the field of life sciences are contributing to a substantial transformation of that ecosystem and to modifying relations among actors, nevertheless in a context in which the Open Innovation paradigm is less applicable and where the need to protect intellectual property prevails.
(Italian version) Il turismo è una delle maggiori fonti di ricchezza per l’economia italiana che, non potendo fare affidamento su grandi risorse naturali, deve puntare sulla valorizzazione di quelle culturali e paesaggistiche accanto alle proprie capacità di trasformazione ed esportazione di beni. Il settore e il suo indotto contribuiscono al PIL per l’11,8% e all’occupazione per il 12,8%.
The participants at this National Interest event kicked off their discussions by observing that the pharmaceutical industry is one of the main agents of modernization and innovation in Italy, with its success rooted in the historical events and conditions that have helped shape the current Italian model.
This National Interest event was convened in the spirit and intent of constructing a positive narrative for Italian industry around the concept of the “ultimate enterprise” (la bella impresa), in an effort to counter a widespread “anti-industrial” mindset, and replace it with a new narrative on what “being in business” – and especially on “being in manufacturing” – entails. The session afforded an opportunity to discuss industry, the Italian economy, young people, and what the future holds.
Participants at this National Interest event observed that economic and demographic trends in advanced economies point to an increasingly strategic role being played by research and innovation in the pursuit of growth and improved standards of living. This role was seen as very evident in the life sciences field, the focus of a study on “Italy’s competitiveness in a new scientific research scenario” conducted by Farmindustria and Fondazione CERM for Aspen Institute Italia.
Participants at this National Interest event noted that Big Data represents a great opportunity for the Italian system. In point of fact, the internet and digital technologies are radically changing the process of data collection, transfer, and storage, with far-reaching impacts on the business world and society in general. The pervasive spread of new technologies has ensured that a growing number of interconnected devices are simultaneously active, thereby generating increasing amounts of data.
The participants at this National Interest event highlighted that local public transport is a key factor for local development, both in terms of the opportunities for connection that it offers individuals, businesses, and institutions (including universities, for whom it is particularly crucial), and because it improves the livability of the urban environment thanks to the greater average sustainability provided in comparison to the alternative of private vehicle use.
Proceedings at this National Interest roundtable got underway with the observation that the energy profile of the planet is set to change over the next few decades, with rising population and improving standard of living trends leading to an increase in energy demand.
Underpinning discussions at this National Interest debate was the premise that the life sciences sector will be strategic in driving the recovery in competitiveness of advanced economies and ensuring a future based on quality. It was noted, in this regard, that recent findings highlight that, at a global level, the sector is experiencing a marked period of prosperity, with the pipeline of research having reached record levels, propelled in part by innovations linked to the spread of genomics and precision medicine.
At present, the world’s energy mix is based to a large extent on traditional sources, and particularly fossil fuels. All forecasts agree that population growth and improved living standards will drive an increased demand for energy worldwide, which will also entail an increased demand for oil and gas, in absolute terms. Mankind will therefore have to resolve a real energy dilemma: on the one hand the need to meet growing demand, and on the other hand the need to limit emissions in order to protect the planet from escalating global warming.
Opening discussions at this National Interest session was the observation that new advanced therapies, which are being increasingly adopted today, represent a real revolution in the health sector. They look set to enable a redefinition of the medical as well as social approach to dealing with diseases, especially those defined as rare, which affect around 500 people per million of the population and for which there is largely no treatment available.
