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Introduction
Forms of support, interaction and cooperation between the
State and Municipality in the environmental domain have an ordinary nature, for
example by means of the periodic State, Municipality
and Local Governments Conference and extraordinary nature, as in case of the
Environment Three Year Plan Funds, outline agreements and sustainable mobility
actions and funds.
As for environmental matters, the national authority acts
principally through the Environment and Territory Protection Ministry (MATT), which has the following functions:
-
territory
planning guidelines identification with reference to natural and environmental
values;
-
soil
and water protection;
-
environmental
protection;
-
waste
management;
-
environmental
pollution and risks;
-
promotion
of sustainable development politics;
-
water resources.
The Ministry has national level functions and tasks
particularly in the following functional areas:
a) promotion of national and international sustainable
development policies; surveillance, monitoring and control functions; limit
values, standard values, quality and safety objectives identification;
technical rules for the management of the above functions;
B) environmental impact
evaluation, atmospheric acoustic and electromagnetic pollution and industrial
risks prevention and protection; waste management; reclamation initiatives;
protection and reclamation in high environmental risk areas; risk factors
reduction;
c) environmental values referenced territory planning;
protected natural areas identification,
management and exploitation; biodiversity, fauna and flora protection;
soil defence; environmental policing; environmental forestry policing; national
parks and state natural reserve surveillance; protected exotic species import
and commerce control; controls over fauna and flora species protected by
international conventions and agreements;
d) water resources management and
protection; water pollution prevention and protection; coastal pollution and
sea protection.
State,
Municipalities and Local Government Conference
The State maintains a relationship of cooperation with
Regions and Local Governments based on dialogue and political negotiation
through the creation of State Regions, State, Municipality and Local Government
permanent Conferences and a Unified Conference. Regions, municipalities and
provinces are the elements of the territorial division of the Italian Republic. They have a legal status and a certain
degree of self-government. In particular, the Regions have a high degree of
self-government in determining political guidelines and have the authority to
legislate. Provinces and Municipalities have self-government administrative
powers according to the principles of subsidiarity.
The State Regions Conference acts within the national
territory in order to enhance cooperation between the State and Regions and
between the Regions and the Autonomous Provinces, being a “privileged place” of
politic negotiation between the central administrations and the system of
regional government.
The State, Municipality and Local Governments Conference
was created in order to answer the need for giving a stronger impulse to
harmonizing the activity in the State and Local Governments relationships
through a better knowledge of local requirements.
The State Regions Conference and State, Municipality and
Local Governments Conference meet together to examine areas of common interest.
This meeting is called the Unified Conference and it is intended to be an
advisory, negotiating, data and information exchange forum whenever Regions,
Provinces, Municipalities and Mountain Communities have occasion to express
themselves on the same subjects.
The State, Municipality and Local Government Conference
was established by the President’s Cabinet, with coordinating tasks between the
State and Local Governments in relationship and study, information and
comparison tasks concerning problems connected to general policy guidelines which
might affect Municipalities, Regions, Provinces and Mountain Communities
functions and with those delegated to the same departments by State laws.
The Conference is in particular a place for discussion and
analysis:
-
about
problems related to local departments rules and functions, understanding
aspects concerning financial and budget policies and relative human and
material resources, laws and Government general acts;
-
about
public services management.
-
The Conference has moreover the task to enhance:
- local
public services which improve levels of efficiency and information;
- outline
contracts and agreements (art. 12 Law 23.12.1992, n. 498).
1994-96 Environment Protection Plan
With CIPE Decree 12.21.1993, the
1994-96 Environment Protection Plan has been developed for the following
purposes:
- claim of particularly neglected
and polluted areas;
- serious environmental risk removal
with particular attention to industrial risks;
- natural heritage protection and
exploitation, with reference to the protection of natural areas;
- environmental related public
services implementation and development (depuration, recycling, urban wastes
management, etc.).
The initiatives financed are
placed in an analytic grid of Scheduled Areas (i.e. water basins, protected
natural areas, etc.) and Action Sectors (i.e. wastes management, water
resources, etc.).
The initiatives financed on
sustainable mobility are placed in the Scheduled Area “Urban Area”, “Acoustic
and Atmospheric Reclamation” Sector, for an amount of € 129,114,224.77.
The funds have been divided as
follows:
- € 25,822,844.95 for air quality
claim plans drafting
- € 103,291,379.82 for low impact
means of transportation, traffic reduction and control tools acquisition,
acoustic reclamation plans implementation.
Outline Agreement
between the Environmental and Territory protection Ministry and ANCI for
organic collaboration on environmental policies
The Environment and Territory Protection Ministry and the
Italian Municipalities through their national association (ANCI) signed on
07.24.2003 an outline Agreement for more organic collaboration on environmental
policies.
There are ten themes for permanent collaboration, on all
forms of pollution:
- Air pollution: activity and data
monitoring. Regions, Provinces and Municipalities outline laws implementation.
- Acoustic, electromagnetic and
light pollution: territory data situation and law implementation (also at
regional level).
- “Territory resource” protection.
- Sustainable development.
- Waste integrated cycle, energy
recycling and source production reduction.
-
Renewable energy sources.
-
Environmental damage reclamation
modalities.
- Suitable funds accessible for
municipalities; forms of subsidiary collaboration in planning.
- Protected areas and parks.
The Ministry and the Municipalities collaborate
furthermore in the drafting of legislation, access to private capital in
environmental projects enhancing and to monitor environmental expense met by
Municipalities and met and financed by regions, Ministries and Provinces in order
to value their efficiency.
The Agreement, which has a financial endowment of €
100,000, also foresees the institution of an Observatory on environmental
legislation which is to verify legislation and the implementation of
institutional competence on the territory.
Policies in favour
of sustainable mobility implemented by the Environment and Territory Protection
Ministry (MATT) for urban emissions reduction
The Environment and Territory Protection Ministry has in
recent years promoted projects and plans aimed at implementing structural
actions for environmental impact and the
permanent reduction of urban traffic energy consumption .
From 1999 to 2003 about € 220,000,000 has been transferred
to local governments and regions on the sustainable mobility subject for
actions regarding in particular:
- environmental low impact fuels by
means of methane gas and GPL conversion of petrol cars promotion (ICBI
environmental low impact fuels initiative,
- € 25,000,000);
- low consumption and emissions
motorcycles incentives (ANCMA Agreement, € 25,000,000);
- methane vehicles promotion and
distribution network development incentives (MATT-FIAT-Petrol Union Agreement,
€ 15,000,000);
- mobility request management
(Mobility Management, € 15,500,000);
- the spreading of means of
transportation alternative to private vehicles (Car-sharing, about €
9,000,000);
- urban area sustainable mobility
projects, collective taxi services, electronic systems for traffic limitation,
environmental low impact car fleets acquisition, air quality monitoring
stations implementation, creation of a mobility management structure (2000
Ecological Sundays-Structural Interventions, Environment Protection Excerpt Program
and Sustainable Mobility Radical Programs, € 118,000,000);
- Lombardy Region urban atmospheric
pollution reduction plans (Program Agreement with Lombardy Region).
With these measures 254 urban areas sustainable mobility
projects have been financed in favour of 85 local governments.
Main financial initiatives (MATT funds) are:
-
Environmental
protection Excerpt Program;
-
Structural
Intervention-2000 Ecological Sundays;
-
MATT-FIAT-Petrol
Union Agreement;
-
ICBI
environmental low impact fuels action;
-
Environment
Ministry, Treasure Ministry and Lombardy Region Program Agreement;
-
MATT-ANCMA
Program Agreement (Motorcycles and Outfits National Association);
-
Sustainable
mobility Radical programs;
-
Mobility
Management.
Environment Protection Excerpt Program
In the Environment Protection Excerpt Program, the Environment
and Territory Protection Ministry has allocated about € 52,000,000 to 32 Local
Governments for actions implementation on: collective taxi services, traffic
limitation electronic systems, electric and gas vehicles fleets, air quality
monitoring stations implementation, mobility management structure
implementation.
Structural
actions-2000 Ecological Sundays
With the Ecological Sundays 01.25.00 Ministerial Decree,
MATT has allocated about € 30,000,000 to Municipalities and associations
between Municipalities for actions implementation on:
- environmental low impact public
transport implementation and integration, with particular reference to the use
of : hybrid electric traction vehicles, electric motor-bicycles, GPL and
methane vehicles, bi-fuel vehicles;
- urban traffic limitation
electronic control systems implementation;
- environmental low impact fuels
promotion;
- atmospheric
pollution monitoring systems modifications implementation.
MATT allocated financial resources have been destined to
118 projects presented by 59 local governments.
MATT-FIAT-Petrol
Union Agreement
In 2001 December the Environment Ministry, FIAT and Petrol
Union have started a national program to enhance vehicle traction methane use
in urban areas and in Municipalities at a risk of atmospheric pollution.
Within such Agreement, FIAT and Petrol Union are committed
to improve vehicle traction methane distribution network, to introduce a new
series of methane or methane/petrol bio-fuel vehicles and to implement
scientific and development projects on methane national technology.
The Environment Ministry has allocated for the Agreement
implementation resources equal to € 15,500,000 for natural gas vehicles
purchase incentives and new urban methane distribution plants implementation.
Private and public companies managing public
transportation or public utility services vehicles fleets, taxi services, goods
urban distribution and rental vehicles services, have the use of these funds.
Funds for private companies and entrepreneurs are moreover envisaged for
metropolitan areas distribution plants implementation.
The envisaged activities management and coordination are
entrusted to a Municipalities Convention whose leading exponent is the Turin
Municipality.
In April 2004 about 65 municipalities were already part of
the Convention, 34 projects have been admitted to methane distribution plants
implementation funds and about € 2,000,000 have been delivered as vehicles
purchase incentives.
ICBI
Environmental Low Impact Carburants Action
In order to promote vehicles traction methane and GPL use,
in May 2001 an Agreement Protocol between MATT, municipalities at a risk of
atmospheric pollution and methane/GPL sector associations (plants builders and
installers) has been signed.
In order to implement the Protocol aims, MATT has
altogether allocated about € 25,000,000 and on 09.24.2001 a Municipalities
Convention has been created whose leading exponent is the Parma Municipality,
where the ICBI Office (Low Impact Carburant Action) has been established.
160 Municipalities at a risk of atmospheric pollution have
adhered to the Convention. The financial
resources allocated by MATT have been addressed to :
· incentives to privates residing
in the territory of the municipalities adhering to Convention, for the GPL or
methane gas transformation of petrol vehicles registered between 1988 and 1995;
· incentives to cities for
distribution network implementation by means of public fleets supplying
stations implementation.
Funds allocated by MATT for methane gas or GPL
transformation of petrol car have been completely delivered and have allowed
the installation of about 46.000 methane gas or GPL plants.
Moreover,
the implementation of 17 public fleets supplying plants been possible thanks to
these funds in the following Municipalities: Alessandria, Asti, Bologna, Bolzano,
Catania, Ferrara, Florence, Ivrea, Naples, Novara, Padua, Palermo, Parma,
Reggio Emilia, Siena, Turin, Vercelli.
Environment
Ministry, Treasure Ministry and Lombardy Region Outline Agreement Program
On 02.02.2002 the Environment Ministry, Treasure Ministry
and Lombardy Region Outline Agreement Program, on environment and energy
matters, has been signed.
The Agreement foresees a number of actions and programs
implementation for the Lombard territory reclamation and protection; among them
innovative fuels experimental use, public and private transportation ecological
vehicles use, hydrogen public means of transportation promotion and use and the
creation of the necessary logistic infrastructures.
For the above mentioned aims the MATT, within the Agreement,
has allocated about € 11,800,000.
Within this Agreement, by means of a part of allocated
ministerial funds, the Lombardy Region has prepared an announcement of a
competitive examination for contributes to companies on people, goods and
sustainable mobility action implementation in order to improve the
transportation system organization and management. The Lombardy Region has
allocated for this project € 1,100,000.
MATT-ANCMA (Motor-bicycle National Association) Program
Agreement
The Program Agreement MATT-ANCMA, signed on 02.12.2002,
has been subscribed for the implementation of the three-year program on
production and diffusion on the market of low emission motor-bicycles, in order
to give impulse to urban areas CO2 emission reduction.
This Agreement has foreseen an overall allocation of €
100,000,000 subdivided in the following way:
- €
25,000,000 as sunk capital, financially supported by MATT, for incentives
for low emission and reduced consumption motor bicycle industrial
production;
- €
75,000,000 supported by ANCMA-related companies, for innovative technology
research and development.
-
MATT has defined incentives payment modalities (envisaged
by the Program Agreement) in the following way:
- €
100 unitary incentives payment for motor-bicycles having polluting
emission value limits inferior or equal to those envisaged by 97/24/CE
(EURO 1 and EURO2)
- €
250 unitary incentives payment for motor-bicycles with the above-mentioned
characteristics, that in addition have attained a 2,3 litres per 100 km
consumption.
-
All these incentives, if referred to Euro 1 vehicles, can
be used for purchases within 06.30.2002.
All the Ministry allocated resources have been completely
exhausted in May 2003 and have allowed the production of 141.751 low impact
motor-bicycles (EURO 1 and EURO 2).
Radical programs for
sustainable mobility
In 2002, within the “Sustainable Mobility Radical
Programs” Decree, 25 municipalities have been admitted to financing, with IAR
Direction General Manager Directorial Decree n. 1275 of 11.14.2002, for urban
atmospheric pollution reduction structural actions implementation.
With this decree MATT has promoted actions aimed to urban
traffic environmental impact permanent reduction through sustainable mobility
models implementation: 77 projects have been admitted to co-financing, allocating
in all € 35,000,000.
Action lines of this program are:
·
collective
taxis or innovative collective transports systems implementation;
·
urban
centres traffic control by means of
“road and area pricing” automotive systems;
·
electric
or gas vehicles for public transport or public utility services systems;
·
bicycles
and two/three/four wheel electric vehicles fleets implementation, owned by
Municipalities, Bodies and public services and utility public services public
or private managers, and also to be rented in urban areas;
·
atmospheric
pollutants monitoring systems implementation;
·
demonstrative
projects implementation as:
o
prototypes
of electric traction vehicles with autonomous
function and hydrogen electric traction vehicles used as urban
areas public utility services and goods
transportation;
o
devices
for the reduction of atmosphere emissions caused by public services, public
utility services and goods transportation circulating fleet;
o
correlations
models between polluting atmospheric
data and those coming from vehicular traffic surveying.
Car
Sharing National Program
Car Sharing is a innovative mobility service that allows
to its members/users to use on request a vehicles common fleet parked in
different places near residence areas or important public transportation network
knots.
Car sharing formula, having a tariff structure based on
reduced operating costs and relatively higher variable costs linked to vehicles
use, is particularly profitable for occasional drivers. The main advantage is
to be able to use, in case of need, an individual vehicle with adequate
characteristics and dimensions without supporting the high operating costs
linked to car ownership that on short distances have a relevant incidence on
the overall cost.
MATT has, altogether, allocated € 9,300,000 for Car
Sharing National Program and, for its implementation, a Local Bodies Convention
has been instituted, whose leading exponent is the Municipality of Modena (17
bodies take part, including Municipalities and Provinces).
In April 2004, the service was already working in Turin,
Bologna, Venice, Rimini and Modena with an overall car fleet of 71 cars and
1500 members.
Mobility
Management
The “Urban Areas and Sustainable Mobility”
Inter-ministerial Decree of 03.27.1998 established an implementation strategy
with the aim of urban pollution and traffic congestion reduction, by means of:
- set
up (by Municipalities) of a support and coordination structure between
companies mobility manager that is in contact with municipal
administrations and transport companies (area mobility manager).
- set
up (inside companies and public bodies with single local unities of more
that 300 employees and inside companies with more than 800 employees
working in different places), of a company mobility manager and the adoption
of an employees’ in-house-work shift plan.
The Environment Ministry has allocated € 25,300,000 to the
mobility area and their activity support: the aims of this measure have been to
favour urban mobility rationalization, alternative and environmental low impact
transportation and support company mobility managers, in order to involve a great
part of the employees in politics on the reduction of the number of travelling
vehicles.
These funds have been used by local administrations,
partly to create coordinated urban mobility structures, partly to finance
companies directly, TPL action incentives (public transport monthly cards
discounts), inter-companies and the implementation of companies transportation
services, environmental low impact company means of transportation acquisition,
car pooling and tele-working services projects.
Acknowledgements
This text
has been derived from the websites: www.governo.it/affariregionali/ and www.minambiente.it/
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