THE ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY OF ITALY WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION (1972–2001)

Olena Smyntyna,

Dr. habil. (History), Professor,

Odesa I.I. Mechnikov National University, Odesa, Ukraine

 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17721/2524-048X.2024.29.6

 

Abstract.

The formation of Italian environmental policy can be divided into two stages. During the first of them (1972–1992), environmental protection was considered one of the additional functions of the government, and innovations in this field occurred mainly under the influence of man-made disasters. The first of them was a mass leak of toxic substances in the city of Seveso in 1976, which led to the mass evacuation of several tens of thousands of people. After that, European countries developed and implemented detailed regulations on handling hazardous materials. The second impetus for the development of environmental policy was the 1986 accident at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant. Then the government established a separate Ministry of the Environment, and also, under public pressure, held a series of referendums, as a result of which all Italian nuclear power plants were shut down.

The second stage in the development (1992–2001) of Italy’s environmental policy began with the accession to the European Union after the signing of the Maastricht Treaty, in which the obligations of member states to protect the environment were clearly defined. To control this sector, a special environmental protection body was created – the European Environment Agency with an obligation to assess the member states according to the degree of implementation of environmental legislation. Since Italy carried out reforms to enter the eurozone in the 1990s, compliance with all EU requirements became a mandatory requirement for its government. In addition, environmental solutions, such as limiting carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, controlling water resources and banning the excessive use of pesticides, began to affect the economy of the entire country significantly.

The impetus provided by the European Union, helped Italy become one of the leading countries globally in implementing modern environmental policy. The task of this policy is not only to establish separate nature protection zones but also to create conditions for sustainable development, counter the negative consequences of climate change, and maintain a safe environment for the population.

Key words: Italy, environmental policy, European Union (EU), European integration, environmental history, environmental safety, climate change.

 

Submitted 15.07.2024

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