Italy and action under the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was ratified by Italy
through Law No. 65 of 15 January 1994. As a party to the convention, Italy is committed to
developing, publishing and regularly updating national emission inventories of greenhouse gases
as well as to formulating, implementing, publishing and regularly updating programmes addressing
anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. The Kyoto Protocol, adopted in December 1997, has
established emission reduction objectives for Annex B parties (i.e. industrialized countries and
countries with economies in transition). In particular, the European Union as a whole is committed
to an 8% reduction within the period 2008–2012, relative to 1990 levels. For Italy, the EU burden
sharing has established a reduction objective of 6.5% in the commitment period, in comparison
with 1990 levels (Romano et al., 2005).
Subsequently, on 1 June 2002, the Italian Government ratified the Kyoto Protocol with Law
No. 120. The ratification law prescribed also the preparation of a National Action Plan to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions, which was adopted by the Interministerial Committee for Economic
Planning (Comitato Interministeriale per la Programmazione Economica – CIPE) on 19 December
2002. The Kyoto Protocol finally entered into force in February 2005. In order to establish
compliance with national and international commitments, the national greenhouse gas emission
inventory is compiled and communicated annually to the competent institutions through
compilation of the Common Reporting Format (CRF), according to the guidelines provided by the
UNFCCC and the European Union’s Greenhouse Gas Monitoring Mechanism. Detailed information
on emission figures, as well as estimation procedures, including all the basic data needed to carry
out the final estimates, is requested in order to improve the transparency, consistency,
comparability, accuracy and completeness of the inventory provided. The national inventory is
updated annually in order to reflect revisions and improvements in the methodology and
availability of new information (Romano et al., 2005).
Emission estimates include the six direct greenhouse gases under the Kyoto Protocol (carbon
dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydro fluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, sulphur hexafluoride)
which contribute directly to climate change owing to their positive radioactive forcing effect, and
four indirect greenhouse gases (nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, non-methane volatile organic
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compounds, sulphur dioxide). The CRF files and other related documents can be found at the
website www.sinanet.apat.it/aree/atmosfera/emissioni/emissioni.asp.
In order to comply with the targets set, Italy has to achieve a 6.5% reduction of greenhouse gas
emissions by 2008–2012 relative to 1990 emissions. In other words, emissions should decrease
from 519.5 million (metric) tons of CO2 equivalent emissions (MtCO2eq) of 1990 to 485.7 MtCO2eq,
so the “gap” to be filled amounts to 33.8 MtCO2eq by 2012. However, 2005 emissions amounted to
582.2 MtCO2eq (12.1 % more than in 1990) and projected emissions for 2010, under the “with
measures” scenario, correspond to 587.3 MtCO2eq. In other words, the overall “gap” to be filled in
2010 is 101.6 MtCO2eq (MATTM, 2006).
The general approach to achieving the Kyoto Protocol target comprises in the implementation of
domestic policies and measures for at least 80% of the reduction effort and in the use of the Kyoto
mechanisms such as credits from Joint Implementation (JI) and Clean Development Mechanisms
(CDM) for not more than 20%. Considering that Italy has already bought credits of about 4
MtCO2eq, the actual reduction effort of Italy is only 97.6 MtCO2eq. Domestic policy and measures
have to result in a reduction to at least 78 MtCO2eq. The new government plans a revision of the
CIPE 2002 plan with the aim of supplying operational indicators for coherent intervention
measures.
Concerninig the implementation in Italy of EU Directive 2003/87/EC, which establishes a European
exchange system of greenhouse gas emission allowances, the allocation decision for the period
2008–2012, which coincides with the first Kyoto commitment period, will set emission caps for the
energy intensive sectors of the Italian economy. The basis for the 2008–2012 allocation decision is
the National Allocation Plan which was finalized by the Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea
and by the Ministry of Economic Development and has recently (15 May 2007) been approved. It
requires a further cut in emissions of 13.2 MtCO2eq. This means that those sectors included in the
EU Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) have to reduce their emissions by 37.4 MtCO2eq compared to
the reference scenario, while other sectors have to apply a reduction of 29 MtCO2eq.
The reference scenario includes, in particular, the effects of restructuring measures since 1999 in
the context of the liberalization and privatization of the electric energy market. Regarding the
production of electric energy from fossil fuels, a reduction of 8–9% in 1996 to 2005 has been
achieved. This is mainly due to the introduction of Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plants using
natural gas or gas derivates since 1999. These electric plants have an efficiency of up to 57%
compared to the traditional ones (maximum 38%). Another 20 000 megawatts of electric capacity
could derive from combined plants: out of these, 14 000 megawatts could be gained substituting
old plants and 6 thousand MW by constructing new combined plants. Among the additional
measures, the higher efficiency of the new plants has also been considered with another 3200
MW. For the production of electricity from renewable energy, Law No. 79/1999 establishes that
2% of electric energy (imported or produced from conventional sources) must stem from
renewable sources. This equals more than 100 gigawatts per hour last year.
The additional policies and measures identified in the draft national strategy affect all economic
sectors and all greenhouse gases. Examples of policies and measures in different sectors are the
promotion of CHP and renewable energy (energy sector – supply), measures aimed at improving
energy saving and energy efficiency (energy sector – industry, tertiary and residential), measures
aimed at improving vehicle efficiency and the use of biofuels (energy sector – transport sector).
As concerns energy efficiency, the 2007 Budget Law includes measures aimed at supporting higher
deductions from income tax for the expenses for building renovations, promoting the construction
of buildings with very low energy consumption, providing incentives for refrigerators with A+ and
A++ energy class labels and for high efficiency or variable-speed electric engines.
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As concerns renewables, EU Directive 2001/77/EC establishes for the EU a target of 22.1% of total
electricity consumption to be provided by renewable energy sources in 2010, and requests
Member States to define their own targets. For Italy the share of electric energy produced by
renewable sources should be at 25%. But despite several support measures (including a
renewable energy obligation), it will be very difficult for Italy to reach this goal. Until now, the
incentive system has not worked or has rewarded pseudo-renewables (co-generation, waste-toenergy
schemes and electricity from oil tars). Only recently have the Minister for Economic
Development and the Minister for the Environment, Land and Sea agreed to restrict incentives to
real renewables. In addition to this, the very long and bureaucratic procedures to install alternative
and decentralized plants have delayed the use of the wind and sun (photovoltaic and thermal
energy) and this still remains marginal.
In the transport sector, which has several specific characteristics that do not favour the
implementation of any measure aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, an annual fund of
€ 100 million has been established for the period 2007–2009 by the 2007 Budget Law for the
purchase of LPG- or CNG-fuelled vehicles and the conversion of old cars. A share of the
consumption of biofuels will be exempted from excise taxes, in order to reach the target set by EU
Directive 2003/30/EC, which requests Member States to replace, by 2010, at least 5.75% of their
petrol and gas consumption with biofuels.
Measures in the agricultural and forestry sectors include the implementation of programmes and
initiatives aimed at increasing the quantity and improving the management of forest areas and
woodlands, reclaiming abandoned territories and the protection of territories that face instability or
risk of desertification. These include:
• management of existing forests;
• re-vegetation of farmlands and grazing lands;
• natural reforestation;
• afforestation and reforestation in existing woodlands, in new areas and in areas subject to
risk of hydro-geological instability.
As regards the implementation of these measures, it is worth noting that the political power
related to energy questions has been transferred to the regions, which creates new conflicts and
uncertainty regarding competences. For instance, the use of the wind and sun still remains
marginal, mainly as a result of the very long and bureaucratic procedures to install alternative and
decentralized plants. In order to develop an effective strategy, regional and local communities will
have to take on board their responsibilities for the achievement of the Kyoto target, rather than
focusing only on regional autonomy.