ESG targets: Italy lags behind on sustainable development

Sadly, halfway along the path defined by the UN General Assembly, Italy seems to be "off track" with respect to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and is unlikely to meet the commitment it must achieve by the end of this decade. The report of the ASVIS 2023 shows how Italy in eight years has not chosen the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030 as a guide to achieve a development that is fully sustainable environmentally, socially, economically and institutionally. Although progress has been made in the various areas, there has been a lack of an explicit, collective and coherent commitment on the part of the entire society, the business world and political forces to achieve sustainability in the country.

The situation on the achievement of the 17 SDGs is critical and has worsened since 2010 for about six targets, while, it is stable for three and there are slight improvements for eight. The report shows that out of 33 targets that can be assessed with quantitative indicators, only eight are likely to reach the target value in 2030. On the other hand, for 14 targets achievement is almost impossible, nine others have contradictory trends and on two there is insufficient data to be able to make a judgement. In addition, there is a lack of valid and concrete support for companies wishing to make sustainable targets to protect biodiversity. In this context, 3Bee supports companies in the transition phases for the adoption and improvement of ESG targets through a technological approach to biodiversity regeneration.

Italy is not the only country failing to meet its commitments. According to the UNO, in the initial phase of the global effort to implement the Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals with the inclusion of new products dedicated to the protection of biodiversity, some significant achievements have been made. However, the pandemic and the Russian Federation's aggression in Ukraine, together with the rising prices of energy raw materials and foodstuffs, which caused widespread inflation, have set the world back. The UN points out that according to the targets of the 2030 Agenda, for which reliable data is available, only 12% of the targets are being progressed in the right direction. More than half of the targets, despite some progress, are considered to be 'moderately or severely off track', and about 30 per cent have made no progress or are worse off than in 2015.

If the current trend continues, climate-altering gas emissions will continue to rise in 2030 and the damage from climate change will become increasingly severe worldwide. The average temperature, which has already risen by 1.1°C compared to pre-industrial levels, will reach the limit of 1.5°C earlier than stipulated by the Paris Agreements. In 2030, some 660 million people will still lack access to electricity, while nearly two billion will continue to rely on fossil fuels and other polluting practices. It could take at least 25 years to stop deforestation, and at least one million species risk extinction.To halt this process, there is a need for innovative projects that protect biodiversity, such as 3Bee's "Biodiversity Oases".

The next Summit in 2024 will have a very ambitious agenda: reform of the international financial system through a change in the governance of large multilateral organisations; agreeing on a Global Digital Compact for a open, free and secure digital future; define a code of conduct to improve public information, combat fake news and 'infodemics'; establish new global rules for the peaceful, secure and sustainable use of outer space; a new standard for measuring prosperity that goes beyond GDP; define a 'New Agenda for Peace' to provide effective responses to international security risks; and reform the functioning of the Security Council. The "Summit on the Future" will also be prepared through the COP28, which will be held from 30/11 to 12/12, and will address the stocktaking of the 2015 Paris Agreements and the operationalization of the new fund to compensate countries most affected by climate change.

In order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, it is necessary to implement the recent National Strategy approved by the government in September 2023. Furthermore, it is necessary to make the analysis of the public budget in relation to the 17 Goals structural. It is essential to ensure the immediate implementation of the National Action Plan for Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development (PAN PCSD), envisaged in the National Strategy. In this context, ASVIS emphasises the importance of introducing an ex ante evaluation of public policies to assess their impact on the intergenerational justice criterion, recently introduced in the Constitution as the Youth check.

The report highlights how the Energy-Climate Plans (PNIEC) and the National Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change (PNACC), not yet approved, need to be strengthened and finalised to encompass a broad set of economic, social and environmental policies. The NACCP consists of a strategic plan that defines goals and actions for the energy transition and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in a given country. The PNACC consists of a strategic plan that focuses on the adaptation measures needed to deal with the current and future impacts of climate change. The plan identifies the country's vulnerabilities to climate change in different sectors, such as agriculture, water, health, the natural environment and infrastructure. With a view to enhancement, both plans should also contain adequate guidance on the necessary financing.

The report states the need to establish a climate law in Italy with concrete objectives. Specifically: climate neutrality by 2050, defining precise lines with the goal of zero greenhouse gas emissions in the various economic sectors; creating an effective institutional governance to achieve the SDGs targets; establish a Scientific Climate Council to support existing agencies; eliminate subsidies and public benefits that harm the environment and human health; and foster the participation and involvement of economic and social actors in the definition and implementation of climate policies. These challenges are necessary to combat climate change and ensure a sustainable, low-carbon future.

At the recent UN summit on sustainable development, the world reaffirmed its commitment to the Agenda 2030 despite difficulties and geopolitical tensions. The European Parliament and the European Council also reaffirmed the importance of the 2030 Agenda as a strategic choice of the Union. The Italian government has approved a new National Strategy confirming its commitment, but now an "Acceleration Plan" is needed to implement the 2030 Agenda with the adoption of a political and cultural approach that puts sustainability at the centre of every choice, private and public, such as theNational Strategy approved by the Cite on 18 September 2023.

The Italian Alliance for Sustainable Development (ASviS), presented 13 lines of action to promote 'transformative' policies aimed at achieving a sustainable development path in Italy. The proposals cover different areas: social, economic, environmental and institutional. In the environmental area, the following are envisaged: acceleration of innovation in the agricultural sector; maximisation of electricity production from renewable sources and ambitious revision of the National Integrated Energy-Climate Plan (PNIEC); protection and restoration of nature and protection and sustainable management of ecosystems. In line with the Nature Restoration Law and the CSR Directive, 3Bee has developed XNatura, the innovative protocol of monitoring terrestrial biodiversity based on bioacoustics and remote sensing. An innovative methodology, recognised by the EU to start with the development of the first real biodiversity certification.

Article by Angelina Tortora