Lo sustainable urban development declined with the resources of the recovery and resilience plan. It seems that the Italian municipalities were waiting for nothing more than a government capable of raising and qualifying spending on goods and services for citizens. For the President of Anci and Mayor of Bari, Antonio Decaro, the missions of the PNRR in the coming years will lead the Municipalities to increase spending by 75%. Five years of fast-paced interventions for that bottom-up revolution that will benefit families, businesses and artisans.
The confrontation with the government and the Regions has so far gone well and revolves around 40 billion euros additional of the recovery plan. However, the qualitative leap will have to strengthen a capacity for action in cities that is often not seen. Only three years ago the Municipalities represented 25% of the entire public expenditure. In the to-do list there was everything and then it ended up with many jobs unfinished. Today, even to comply with the provisions of Brussels, projects and works must be kept separate and time schedules controlled. It must gain its quality with parks, libraries, nursery schools, cycle paths. The renewable energy they have separate funding channels but must be integrated into general projects. Even the control room desired by Mario Draghi it is proving to be an excellent tool that allows Mayors to look with confidence at the next transfers into the municipal coffers.
“Today – explains Decaro – the topic of the administration's ability to spend the additional resources, those foreseen by the implementation of the PNRR, with respect to the ordinary activities and the daily work already carried out by the local authorities is a priority”. The roadmap, as is known, marks the end of the works, especially in cities, in 2026. To help local administrations participate in tenders, the government has planned a task force of 1500 experts. There is a risk, however, and it involves current spending. Here, then, the first citizens also put their hands forward for the future. With Decaro himself saying: “when these works have been completed we could risk not being able to administer them, manage their maintenance and guarantee the services provided, all items that fall within current expenditure”. A sort of negotiation is taking place with the government to understand what it will be necessary to prepare "so that the planned works can really contribute concretely to making Italy a better country".
Meanwhile, there are those who seek to bring together urban quality and culture. Six mayors of the European network urbact have found in Rovereto with the aim of studying actions in the city to reduce CO2 emissions and beyond, on the occasion of cultural events and to raise people's awareness to participate in events in a sustainable way. Ecological choices do not only concern mobility or the use of clean energy, in fact, but also a different way of experiencing social life. Europe is putting money into it that it would be inconceivable to waste.
