“Sustainability is not a cost but rather an investment in the future that is good for companies and appreciated by final consumers and investors alike.”
The 2020-2022 Strategic Plan consolidated our Group’s commitment to an increasingly sustainable business model, upping the pace of work to decarbonize our energy generation mix. “We have concrete goals,” explained Tamburi “that we intend to respect. Our central issue, the cornerstone of the 2030 Agenda, is decarbonization. The reduction of greenhouse gases at a European level to the target of 55% requires a large expansion of renewables.” A goal that can be achieved only through unity, coherence and agreement between everyone concerned.
Protecting the future together
On Sept. 22 the Macro Museum hosted the opening convention, “From the crisis to recovery: transforming Europe and Italy in the name of sustainable development.” This was an event that involved the participation of representatives of institutions and managers of large companies, including our CEO and General Manager Francesco Starace. There was also a live link-up with Italy’s Permanent Representative at the United Nations on the occasion of the 75th UN General Assembly and the fifth anniversary of the adoption of the 2030 Agenda.
The Next Generation EU plan represents “a historic opportunity” to lead Italy onto a pathway of sustainable development, according to ASviS spokesman Giovannini. In order to avoid missing out on this opportunity, it is necessary to “align national policies with European priorities and adopt a systemic vision.” The energy transition is the transition of an entire economy towards sustainability, pointed out Starace, underlining the importance of achieving the goals of the 2030 Agenda and the European decarbonization targets. “Next Generation EU confirms Europe’s intention to speed up the process of decarbonization,” said the CEO. “What’s positive is that the financial markets are shifting towards investments linked to sustainable development.” What is required in order to continue on this path is a constant and shared commitment at European level to the electrification of final consumption and the digitalization of infrastructure, both of which are crucial factors for decarbonization.
“Sustainability is good for those who interpret it in the right way, to avoid the errors of the past and to protect the future.”
Powering the recovery
Also at Macro, on Oct. 1, the second event tackled the topic of “The provinces as an engine of sustainable development,” with ministers, regional administration presidents, mayors and business leaders. Finally, on Oct. 8 at the Farnesina, the Italian Foreign Ministry, the Festival’s closing event, Italy and the Sustainable Development Goals, took place. This included a speech from Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and representatives of European institutions.
Among the events dedicated to specific goals of the 2030 Agenda, on Oct. 7 the Macro Museum was the venue for the convention “Climate and energy in the Green Deal for the reconstruction of Italy”. This involved discussions of the role of SDG17 (clean and accessible energy) and SDG13 (climate action) in the implementation in our country of the European Plan for resilience and recovery, which is set to assign the majority of resources to the implementation of the Green New Deal. Investments in renewables and energy efficiency, the speakers stressed, will be crucial for reducing CO2 emissions and kick-starting the economy, creating new jobs and contributing to significant growth in GDP. “The crisis has prompted the mobilization of significant investments in renewables, electrification, infrastructure and transport, all areas that create employment”, said Daniele Agostini, our Group’s Head of Low Carbon&European Energy Policies. From this perspective, it is important that companies are open to change, ready to innovate and interact in a transparent way with all of the actors concerned. “A closely-knit system is required,” concluded Agostini, “a truly effective team that works to make this happen. At Enel we work as a system with all of our stakeholders to multiply opportunities for innovation.”
