OECD environmental performance reviews. Italy 2013.

203 Pages·2012·4.281 MB·English

by  OECD

OECD Environmental Performance Reviews 2
0
1
3
italy
OECD Environmental Performance Reviews
The OECD Environmental Performance Review Programme provides independent assessments of countries’
progress in achieving their domestic and international environmental policy commitments, together with policy
relevant recommendations. They are conducted to promote peer learning, to enhance countries’ accountability italy
to each other and to the public, and to improve governments’ environmental performance, individually and
collectively. The Reviews are supported by a broad range of economic and environmental data. Each cycle of
the Environmental Performance Reviews covers all OECD member countries and selected partner countries.
The most recent reviews include: Mexico (2013), Germany (2012) and Slovenia (2012). 2013
This report is the third OECD review of Italy’s environmental performance. It evaluates progress towards
sustainable development and green growth, with a focus on policies that promote more effective and efficient
water management and provide better incentives to tackle climate change.
Contents
Part i. Progress towards sustainable development
Chapter 1. Key environmental trends
Chapter 2. Policy-making environment
Chapter 3. Towards green growth
Part ii. Progress towards selected environmental objectives
Chapter 4. Multi-level environmental governance: Water
Chapter 5. Climate change
Further information about the EPR programme is available on line via www.oecd.org/env/countryreviews O
E
C
D
E
n
v
ir
o
n
m
e
n
t
a
l P
e
r
f
o
r
m
a
n
c
e
R
e
v
ie
w
s
it
Consult this publication on line at http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264186378-en. a
l
y
This work is published on the OECD iLibrary, which gathers all OECD books, periodicals and statistical databases.
Visit www.oecd-ilibrary.org for more information.
2013
isbn 978-92-64-18392-6 -:HSTCQE=V]X^W[:
97 2013 04 1 P

OECD Environmental
Performance Reviews:
Italy
2013
This work is published on the responsibility of the Secretary-General of the OECD.The
opinionsexpressedandargumentsemployedhereindonotnecessarilyreflecttheofficial
viewsoftheOrganisationorofthegovernmentsofitsmembercountries.
This document and any map included herein are without prejudice to the status of or
sovereigntyoveranyterritory,tothedelimitationofinternationalfrontiersandboundaries
andtothenameofanyterritory,cityorarea.
Pleasecitethispublicationas:
OECD(2013),OECDEnvironmentalPerformanceReviews:Italy2013,OECDPublishing.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264186378-en
ISBN978-92-64-18392-6(print)
ISBN978-92-64-18637-8(PDF)
Series:OECDEnvironmentalPerformanceReviews
ISSN1990-0104(print)
ISSN1990-0090(online)
ThestatisticaldataforIsraelaresuppliedbyandundertheresponsibilityofthe relevantIsraeliauthorities.Theuse
ofsuchdatabytheOECDiswithoutprejudicetothestatusoftheGolanHeights,EastJerusalemandIsraeli
settlementsintheWestBankunderthetermsofinternationallaw.
Photocredits:Cover©IakovKalinin–Fotolia.com,©Samott–Fotolia.com.
CorrigendatoOECDpublicationsmaybefoundonlineat:www.oecd.org/publishing/corrigenda.
©OECD2013
Youcancopy,downloadorprintOECDcontentforyourownuse,andyoucanincludeexcerptsfromOECDpublications,databasesand
multimediaproductsinyourowndocuments,presentations,blogs,websitesandteachingmaterials,providedthatsuitable
acknowledgementofOECDassourceandcopyrightownerisgiven.Allrequestsforpublicorcommercialuseandtranslationrightsshould
[e-mail]hotocopyportionsofthismaterialforpublicorcommercialuseshallbe
addresseddirectlytotheCopyrightClearanceCenter(CCC)[email protected]çaisd’exploitationdudroitdecopie(CFC)
[email protected].
PREFACE
Preface
O
ver the past twoyears, Italy has made a tremendous effort to speed up long overdue
structural reforms to put public finances on a sounder track, to revive and modernise its
economy,andtorestoregrowthandcompetitiveness.
This Environmental Performance Review of Italy, the third prepared by the OECD,
provides analysis and policy recommendations on how to integrate environmental
considerations in Italy’s broader reform agenda and strengthen the country’s
environmentalperformance.Amongothermeasures,theReviewsuggeststhatshiftingthe
tax burden from labour and capital to pollution and resource use could make the tax
systemmoreefficientandprovidebetterincentivesforenvironmentalprotection.
The report also argues that further development of renewable energy sources in
conjunctionwithsmartgrids,aswellasexpandingsuccessfulenergyefficiencyinitiatives,
couldhelpcreatethenewgreenmarketsandrelatedemploymentopportunitiesthatare
needed for a transition to a low-carbon, resource-efficient economy.These initiatives
shouldbeembeddedinalong-termenergystrategyinordertoprovideastableframework
forinvestment.
Inrecentyears,Italyhastakenmanypositiveenvironmentalinitiatives,particularlyin
someregionsandbusinesssectors.Thesehaveledtoimpressiveachievements,including
areductionofairemissionsandwaterpollution,animprovementinwastemanagement,
and enhanced protection of biodiversity. However, these achievements are often partial
andexhibitsignificantregionalvariations,afeatureoftheItaliansystemthatisreinforced
byamajordevolutionoflegislativeandadministrativeresponsibilitiestothesubnational
governments.Aconcertedeffortisnowneededtomaketheenvironmentalmanagement
systemmorecoherentandeffective,andtoscaleuppositiveenvironmentalachievements.
The Environmental Performance Review of Italy places a special focus on climate
change, water management and green growth promotion. Among its specific
recommendations,thefollowingonescanbeunderlined:
● prepare a green growth strategy that provides a clear, coherent and sufficiently long-
termpolicyframeworktospurinvestmentinthegreeneconomy;
● strengthenthelinksbetweenthedisbursementofregionaldevelopmentfundsandthe
achievementoftargetsfortheprovisionofenvironmentalservices;
● continue to simplify environmental requirements for small and medium-sized
enterprises to reduce administrative costs and barriers while reinforcing efforts to
combatenvironmentalcrime,especiallyrelatedtowasteandlanduse;
● apply economic instruments more systematically and streamline institutional
arrangementsformanagingwaterresourcesatthelevelofriverbasins;
● restructurethetaxationofenergyproductstoexplicitlyincludeacarbontaxcomponent
withaviewtoprovidingaconsistentpriceforcarbonacrosstheeconomy;
OECDENVIRONMENTALPERFORMANCEREVIEWS:ITALY2013©OECD2013 3
PREFACE
● extendtheuseofprice-basedmechanisms,suchaspollutionandcongestioncharges,to
reduce emissions from vehicle use in urban areas, and restructure vehicle taxation to
includecomponentsreflectingCO emissionsandotherenvironmentalexternalities.
2
This Review is the result of a co-operative policy dialogue between Italy and other
membersandobserversoftheOECDWorkingPartyonEnvironmentalPerformance.Weare
confidentthatthiscollaborativeeffortwillbeusefultoadvancethepolicydebateonhow
totacklethesharedenvironmentalchallengesfacedbyOECDmembersandtheirpartners.
AngelGurría
OECDSecretary-General
4 OECDENVIRONMENTALPERFORMANCEREVIEWS:ITALY2013©OECD2013
FOREWORD
Foreword
T
heprincipalaimoftheOECDEnvironmentalPerformanceReviewprogrammeistohelpmember
andselectedpartnercountriestoimprovetheirindividualandcollectiveperformanceinenvironmental
managementby:
● helpingindividualgovernmentstoassessprogressinachievingtheirenvironmentalgoals;
● promotingcontinuouspolicydialogueandpeerlearning;
● stimulatinggreateraccountabilityfromgovernmentstowardseachotherandpublicopinion.
This report reviews the environmental performance of Italy since the previous OECD
Environmental Performance Review in 2002. Progress in achieving domestic objectives and
internationalcommitmentsprovidesthebasisforassessingthecountry’senvironmentalperformance.
Such objectives and commitments may be broad aims, qualitative goals, or quantitative targets.A
distinctionismadebetweenintentions,actionsandresults.Assessmentofenvironmentalperformance
is also placed within the context of Italy’s historical environmental record, present state of the
environment,physicalendowmentinnaturalresources,economicconditions,anddemographictrends.
TheOECDisindebtedtothegovernmentofItalyforitsco-operationinprovidinginformation,for
theorganisationofthereviewmissiontoRomeandVenice(6-10February2012),andforfacilitating
contactsbothinsideandoutsidegovernmentalinstitutions.
Thanksarealsoduetoallthosewhohelpedinthecourseofthisreview,totherepresentatives
ofmembercountriesparticipatingintheOECDWorkingPartyonEnvironmentalPerformance,and
especiallytotheexaminingcountries:France,MexicoandSweden.ArepresentativeofSouthAfrica
participatedinthereviewmissionasanobserver.
Theteamthatpreparedthisreviewcomprisedexpertsfromreviewingcountries:Mr.Christophe
Poupard (France), Mr. César Chavez Ortiz (Mexico) and Ms. Katrin Zimmer (Sweden); members
of the OECD Secretariat: Ms. Aziza Akhmouch, Ms. Ivana Capozza, Mr. Brendan Gillespie,
Mr.ReoKawamura,Mr.KrzysztofMichalak;andMr.JosephCurtin(consultant).Ms.CarlaBertuzzi
andMr.ShayneMacLachlan(OECDSecretariat)andMr.JohnSmith(consultant)providedstatistical
andeditorialsupportduringthepreparationofthereport.Preparationofthisreportalsobenefitted
from comments provided by Ms. Claire Charbit, Mr. Xavier Leflaive, Mr. Paul O’Brien and other
membersoftheOECDSecretariat.
The OECD Working Party on Environmental Performance discussed the draft Environmental
Performance Review of Italy at its meeting on 11October 2012 in Paris, and approved the
assessmentandrecommendations.
OECDENVIRONMENTALPERFORMANCEREVIEWS:ITALY2013©OECD2013 5

TABLEOFCONTENTS
Table of contents
Generalnotes .............................................................. 11
Executivesummary......................................................... 13
PartI
Progresstowardssustainabledevelopment
Chapter1. Keyenvironmentaltrends......................................... 21
1.Introduction.......................................................... 22
2.Transitiontoalow-carbon,energy-andresource-efficienteconomy ......... 24
3.Managingthenaturalassetbase ........................................ 29
4.Improvingtheenvironmentalqualityoflife............................... 32
Notes.................................................................. 35
Selectedsources ........................................................ 36
Chapter2. Policy-makingenvironment ....................................... 39
Assessmentandrecommendations........................................ 40
1.Keyenvironmentalandsustainabledevelopmentinitiatives ................ 42
2.Institutionalandco-ordinationframeworkforenvironmentalmanagement... 47
3.Environmentalpermitting,enforcementandcomplianceassurance ......... 49
4.Environmentalpolicyandperformanceevaluationmechanisms............. 53
5.Promotingenvironmentaldemocracy.................................... 56
Notes.................................................................. 60
Selectedsources ........................................................ 62
Chapter3. Towardsgreengrowth ............................................ 65
Assessmentandrecommendations........................................ 66
1.Economicpolicyandtheenvironment ................................... 69
2.Greeningthetaxsystem ............................................... 72
3.Environment-relatedexpenditureandinvestment......................... 78
4.Expandingenvironment-relatedmarketsandemployment ................. 85
5.Promotingenvironmentaltechnologiesandeco-innovation................. 89
6.Environment,tradeanddevelopment.................................... 96
Notes.................................................................. 101
Selectedsources ........................................................ 103
OECDENVIRONMENTALPERFORMANCEREVIEWS:ITALY2013©OECD2013 7
TABLEOFCONTENTS
PartII
Progresstowardsselectedenvironmentalobjectives
Chapter4. Multi-levelenvironmentalgovernance:Water........................ 109
Assessmentandrecommendations........................................ 110
1.Keyenvironmentaltrends.............................................. 112
2.Evolutionofthepolicy,legalandinstitutionalframework
forwatermanagement .................................................. 116
3.Governancechallengesinmanagingwaterresources ...................... 122
4.Governancechallengesinreformingwatersupplyandsanitationservices.... 129
Notes.................................................................. 135
Selectedsources ........................................................ 137
Annex4.A1. Institutionalmappingforwaterresourcesmanagement............... 139
Annex4.A2. Institutionalmappingforwatersupplyandsanitation ................ 141
Chapter5. Climatechange .................................................. 143
Assessmentandrecommendations........................................ 144
1.Overview............................................................. 147
2.GHGemissionperformance ............................................ 148
3.Policyframeworkforclimatechangemitigation........................... 152
4.Pricingcarbon ........................................................ 156
5.Climateandenergypolicies ............................................ 159
6.Climateandtransportpolicies.......................................... 171
7.Adaptation........................................................... 176
Notes.................................................................. 177
Selectedsources ........................................................ 179
References ................................................................ 183
I.A. Selectedeconomicdata ................................................. 184
I.B. Selectedsocialdata ..................................................... 187
I.C. Selectedenvironmentaldata ............................................. 188
II. Actionstakenonselected2002OECDreviewrecommendations ............... 193
III. Abbreviations .......................................................... 197
Tables
3.1. Energyandtransporttaxexpenditure.................................... 76
3.2. Selectedregionalenvironment-relatedindicators.......................... 85
4.1. OECDMulti-levelGovernanceFramework:atoolfordiagnosingco-ordination
andcapacitygapsinthewatersector .................................... 120
4.2. Riverbasindistrictsandriverbasindistrictauthoritiesunder
theEUWaterFrameworkDirective....................................... 122
5.1. SuccessiveroadmapstomeetingtheKyotoProtocoltarget.................. 154
5.2. Emissionreductionpotentialofmeasurestoachievethe2020target ......... 156
5.3. Progresstowardsthe2020renewableenergytargets........................ 163
5.4. Incentivesforelectricitygenerationfromrenewablesources ................ 165
8 OECDENVIRONMENTALPERFORMANCEREVIEWS:ITALY2013©OECD2013