Italy

/Tag: Italy

 

23 03, 2023

Italy’s Model For Renewable Energy Communities

2023-12-04T15:38:00-05:00Tags: |

The city of Naples, Italy, has endured not only high poverty and unemployment rates, but also some of the highest energy costs in the country. Within this context, the San Giovanni a Teduccio neighborhood of Naples, demonstrates a shining example of how renewable energy can serve as a solution to the unsustainable costs and environmental consequences of fossil fuel based energy. Anna Riccardi, president of the local grassroots organization Fondazione Famiglia di Maria, is working with the environmental nonprofit Legambiente, to implement solar energy in her community by installing solar panels on top of the building in which her organization resides. These panels currently provide energy to 20 households, who now pay up to 25% less than average consumers on energy bills. In addition, there are plans to add 20 new households to this microgrid soon. By sharing renewable energy among a community, this project fights inequality by making green energy accessible to low-income families. Legambiente strategically combines the solar array with education efforts on how to reduce unsustainable habits to maximize the long-term sustainability of the project. Workshops have also been set up to equip young people in the community with skills geared towards the larger energy transition - demonstrating how renewable energy communities can not only provide affordable energy, but promote new jobs and combat unemployment. San Giovanni a Teduccio may serve as a model for other communities in the transition towards renewable energy, with Riccardi emphasizing that there have already been positive ripple effects, with numerous communities in Italy planning to create similar renewable energy networks. Photo Credit: Legambiente/Fondazione Famiglia di Maria

16 12, 2016

Experts Say Encouraging Women Farmers Is The Way To Solve Hunger

2017-08-26T11:16:13-04:00Tags: |

Women make up 45% of the agricultural workforce worldwide, and up to 60% in Asia and Africa. However, they own only 20% of the land and work 12 hours a week more than men in developing nations, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Almost 60% of chronically hungry people are young girls and women. Given the statistics, the lack of access to land, credit and other gender gap issues are urgently pressing. Solutions to these problems will not only improve agricultural productivity in a sustainable way and fight hunger, but will also improve women’s financial independence and quality of life, explains Neven Mimica, EU commissioner for international co-operation and development.

1 01, 1998

Anna Giordano

2017-10-24T20:02:06-04:00Tags: |

Dr. Anna Giordano, a trained ornithologist, is fighting to protecting Sicily’s birds from poachers. The straits of Messina off of the Italian mainland are known for their migratory birds and raptor species, including the Honey Buzzard, swallows, storks, oriels, and kestrels which are targeted by poachers for sport. After two violent incidents involving Anna and her young volunteer surveillance team in 1986, the local law enforcement department joined their efforts to reduce poaching in Messina. Due to persistent efforts by Giordano, the poaching of birds has reduced from 5,000 per year to hundreds. Giordano, now the director of Trapani and Paceco Nature Reserve for the World Wildlife Foundation, is continuing her protection efforts of the spring migratory birds and fighting against the strong lobby of poachers and the Italian government’s lenient laws against the poachers which are contradictory to both the national and European legislation. Photo credit: The Goldman Environmental Prize