Greening the Islands is convening Italy’s first gathering of institutional, political and business figures to address a set of urgent questions regarding the sustainability of the country’s smaller islands, spanning environmental and cultural spheres
The first ever Greening the Islands Italia will meet at La Maddalena, Sardinia, on May 27-28, organised in collaboration with the National Association of Minor Island Councils (ANCIM). The conference will bring together mayors of many of Italy’s minor islands as well as representatives of regional authorities, central government and the European Union.
This timely summit takes place as Mediterranean islands face two critical challenges. One the one hand, climate change; on the other, a rise in migrant flows. Investments in environmentally friendly solutions and best practices are needed to protect fragile ecosystems in the long term while ensuring access to water and energy. At the same times, some Mediterranean islands are on the frontline in managing humanitarian emergencies. The possibility of such situations needs to be considered in the management of water and energy resources, waste management and the security and quality of life of inhabitants.
The goal of the meeting is to focus attention on practical implementation of environmentally sustainable solutions and technologies, covering electricity generation, water, waste and electric mobility. It will also look into the regulatory situation and highlight the important cultural heritage of Mediterranean islands, thus making it an important step towards the international Greening the Islands conference in Greece this autumn.
