2022 Festival ASviS: a new generation of ideas emerges

The challenge issued by the sixth edition of the Sustainable Development Festival is to orient Italy towards a future capable of combining the pursuit of economic prosperity with respect for the environment and social justice. It is the largest event dedicated to this theme and is also considered one-of-a-kind on the international stage within the UN Campaign for Action on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Una nuova generazione di idee si fa spazio / A New Generation of Ideas Emerges” was the title chosen for this year’s event by the Italian Alliance for Sustainable Development (ASviS). Active since 2016 and with more than 200 members, including Enel, ASviS is the largest Italian civilian network with the mission of promoting the UN 2030 Agenda among individuals, businesses and institutions.

Within the current complex global landscape, marked by the effects of the pandemic and systemic crises, ASviS President Marcella Mallen spoke during this edition’s presentation in Rome. She said, “The Festival addresses all the major issues at the heart of the current cultural and political debate. We offer a valuable wealth of initiatives, scientific analysis and energy and civic participation, which is made available to Italian institutions and society as a whole to accelerate the transition to a development model that is more just and sustainable than the current one.”

A concrete commitment

Although by now 95% of Italians are familiar with the concept of sustainable development, only slightly more than 40% are familiar with the UN 2030 Agenda and its 17 SDGs. This was the snapshot revealed by the research conducted by Ipsos for ASviS, which also showed that two of out three citizens say that the pandemic, global warming and the war in Ukraine require a greater commitment at all levels to achieve sustainable development. Combating climate change and having clean and affordable energy were the priorities indicated by Italians. Forty percent of those interviewed said that large companies play a fundamental role in building a synergetic approach to sustainability, with the ability to positively influence consumer behavior and improve production systems. According to Fabrizio Iaccarino, Head of Sustainability and Institutional Affairs Italy, who spoke at the introductory press conference, we have long embraced this role. “The Group immediately endorsed the Agenda 2030 goals and, to date, 95% of our entire strategic plan is linked to sustainable development goals in order to concretely contribute to making a difference by initiating real change.”

Iaccarino reiterated the Festival’s role as an opportunity to reflect on shared challenges and opportunities and as a catalyst to react with concrete actions that leave no one behind.

This new edition of the Festival in numbers

Taking place from October 4 to 20, 2022, again this year the Festival will span 17 days, which is the exact same number of UN Sustainable Development Goals,

There will be 21 main events in the program and more than 800 initiatives proposed, both live and streamed online even internationally in diplomatic offices and Italian Cultural Institutes abroad.

There are three planned national events. On October 4, the launch with L’Italia e gli Obiettivi di sviluppo sostenibile / Italy and the Sustainable Development Goals and the presentation of the ASviS Annual Report, the result of the contribution of more than a thousand experts. On October 12, La transizione ecologica: sfide e opportunità in Italia e nel mondo / The ecological transition: challenges and opportunities in Italy and the world, with Italian and international guests.  And finally, on October 20, Verso il 2030: una nuova generazione di idee si fa spazio / Towards 2030: a new generation of ideas emerges, the final day and one of stocktaking for the Festival.

Investing in renewables to accelerate the energy transition

The seventh ASviS Annual Report showed a retreat in environmental indicators. While speaking at the opening event on October 4, Head of Italy Nicola Lanzetta stressed that because of this it is crucial for businesses to realize that “sustainability must be at the heart of every business.” He continued, “Sustainability means doing good for the environment, leaving new generations a better world, but also creating economic and employment benefits. This is the direction we have been going in for more than a decade, with major investments in a sustainable transition. And an example of this is Enel Green Power’s 3SUN Gigafactory in Catania, which we are upgrading and which will become the top photovoltaic panel producer in Europe.”

In a rapidly changing context, in both geopolitical and technological terms, it is fundamental that our country changes just as rapidly by speeding up the authorization processes for renewable energy plants in order to manage the identification of areas for the development of new plants with specific criteria and faster timelines. Daniele Agostini, Head of Enel Group’s Energy and Climate Policies, emphasized this when he spoke at the event dedicated to SDG numbers 7 and 13 entitled “Le fonti rinnovabili contro la crisi e per la transizione ecologica / Renewable resources to fight the climate crisis and for the ecological transition.” This is the only way we will be able to effectively contribute to an energy transition that will bring environmental, social and economic benefits, as demonstrated by the recent study “Net Zero E-conomy 2050” conducted by the Enel Foundation and The European House-Ambrosetti in collaboration with Enel.

Sixty years of history looking to the future

Since 1962, we have been looking to the future with an open mind, to bring energy to the entire country, transcend all borders and electrify consumption in territories, cities and communities. Ours is a history made up of the future, people, innovation, sustainability, responsibility and courage.

Our history was retraced decade by decade by our Electrification Italy Manager Sonia Sandei at the event “Ambiente, biodiversità, territori nelle memorie del Paese / Environment, Biodiversity, Territories in the Memories of the Country,” organized by the Italian Historical National Archives and ASviS. It is the tale of a journey that has always intertwined with tradition, innovation and sustainability, because the motivation that guides our commitment begins in the past, but we are already looking to the future. A perfect example of this integration is heat pumps, a technology that is already available thanks to the country’s industrial past, an undisputed protagonist in the journey to electrification due to its ability to reduce consumption for the benefit of greater energy efficiency.

For sixty years, we have been working every day through concrete actions for an increasingly sustainable tomorrow. As Sandei reminded us, this is possible due to “ renewable resources and electrification in a single ecosystem that aims to protect the environment in the interest of future generations. Innovation, courage and knowledge to reduce consumption and create energy efficiency, electrifying industrial, transportation and end uses.”

Energy independence is a matter of sustainability and ethics

Eliano Russo, head of the 3Sun Gigafactory Enel Green Power in Catania, spoke at the event “Il Sud come cerniera sostenibile tra Europa e Mediterraneo / The South as a Sustainable Connection between Europe and the Mediterranean. He said, “If we really want to promote sustainability that is monitored throughout the production process, we must offer a different product and build a localized supply chain.” 

“3Sun will soon be the largest solar panel factory in Europe,” Russo continued, “confirming that even in the South we can compete on a global scale through innovation and research. Today it is essential to focus on decarbonization while guaranteeing true energy independence for our country. We must boost the development of renewables while localizing the production chain. With this strength and motivation we can arrive anywhere.”

Foundations generate dialogue and shared projects

Foundations, which focus on working together to meet the needs of the community, play a key role in translating sustainability into concrete actions, including in Italy. The 17 SDGs have become the principles on which actions are based in the country, to strengthen the social, entrepreneurial and cultural fabric. Anita Del Pizzo of the Enel Foundation, while speaking on the panel “Persone, Pianeta e Prosperità: il contributo delle fondazioni / People, Planet and Prosperity: the contribution of foundations,” recounted the following: “We carried out a study with Legambiente on Renewable Energy Communities. It showed how virtuous integration between energy communities and energy distribution is key to ensuring cost-effectiveness and the reliability of the system.” She continued, “Our activities in support of initiatives working towards the energy transition take two different tracks: research and education, through a network of experts and academies offering programs aimed at emerging talent and representatives of institutions.”

The role of education for younger generations

We also contribute to the energy transition through the education of younger generations, and this was precisely the purpose of the two projects we brought to the Festival.

The first project, Bee4Education, done in collaboration with the startup Beeing, was presented by Head of Sustainability Italy Filippo Rodriguez during the Festival’s closing event in L’Aquila. He said, “The preservation of biodiversity represents a fundamental value for us, which goes hand in hand with the work we do every day on the ground and in favor of local communities. The project aims to emphasize this commitment and involve the younger generations, making them agents of change in protecting the ecosystem.”
Rodriguez added, “Science teaches us the importance of bees and other pollinating insects for plant reproduction and the survival of many species on Earth, but also as sentinels of air quality. We decided to kick off this educational project in Abruzzo, which, besides being in the heart of the country, is a region that is home to an incredible variety of animal and plant species.”

The second project, È viva la scuola Labs, is a campaign that is currently in its second year, in partnership with Helpcode, an organization that works to ensure quality schooling in Italy and around the world. During the event entitled “A scuola di energia / At Energy School,” Piera Savino explained that the previous edition had discussed digitalization, biodiversity and human rights. “Speaking with young people about these topics was a wonderful experience, so much so that this year we decided to continue and supplement the course with an initiative just on energy,” Savino said. “We thought it was important to engage young and old alike on the issues of renewable energy and the importance of being informed citizens, thus consuming better and less, increasingly broadening the audience of people who are aware of the subject of the energy transition.” 

The initiative includes the development of 120 workshops in different schools that are intended to also stimulate creativity and innovation in students. For example, the construction of small items made from recycled materials and powered by small solar panels.

The Festival concluded on October 20, and featured a total of 986 initiatives promoted by civilian and institutional bodies, the presentations of 8 previously unpublished works, and the organization of 22 main events broadcast live and reaching a total of more than 20 million people. 

 “The incredible movement sparked by the Festival confirms the growing attention placed on the issue of sustainable development in Italy,” said ASviS co-chairs, Marcella Mallen and Pierluigi Stefanini. “The participation in the many initiatives shows that people’s awareness of the need to act now to spread a new culture of wellbeing is increasingly widespread.”