26,5% of Italian companies focus on "green". The report says so Green Italy 2016 di Symbola Foundation e Unioncamere, promoted in collaboration with Conai and with the sponsorship of the Ministry of the Environment and presented this morning at the headquarters of Unioncamere, in Rome.
According to the report, as mentioned, more than one company out of four has invested in the green economy since the beginning of the crisis or will do so this year. It's about 385 thousand Italian companies, who bet on green technologies to reduce their environmental impact, save energy and contain CO2 emissions.
A rapidly growing economy, responsible for around 3 million jobs: i green jobs, i.e. those employed who apply green skills. A figure that reaches 13,2% of total national employment, a quota which, according to Symbola and Unioncamere, is destined to increase in the coming months.
In detail of investments, since the beginning of the crisis the percentage of companies of manufacturing who have bet on the "green" economy is equal to 33%. An investment that very often becomes a vector of growth, which leads to greater competitiveness and exports, as well as increasing turnover and employment.
In fact, in the sector, 46% of companies that invest in green technologies export, against 27,7% of non-investor companies; 35,1% of green companies increased their turnover in 2015 compared to 21,8% of the others; 33,1% introduced innovations, against 18,7% of the others.
Returning to employment, this year 249.000 hires will arrive from the green economy between green jobs in the strict sense and hybrid figures with green skills, equal to 44,5% of the demand for non-occasional work. In research and development, this share rises to 66%. For 2015, the contribution of green jobs to the country's gross product is estimated at 190,5 billion euros, equal to 13% of the total.
Italy, then, boasts of efficiency records at European level: with 14,3 tonnes of oil equivalent per million euro, it is the second country among the five major EU economies for lower energy inputs for the same product, after the United Kingdom (11,6, which however has a much larger economy manufacturing) and ahead of France (14,5), Spain (16,8) and Germany (17,7). With 312 tons per million euro we are second, always behind Great Britain (260), for less use of material, better than France (358), Spain (362) and Germany (462). With 107 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per million euro produced, we are second for the least intensity of atmospheric emissions, this time behind France (93, aided in this case by nuclear power) and ahead of Spain (131), the United Kingdom (131) and Germany ( 154).
Instead, we are first for the containment of the waste produced: we produce just 42 tons for every million euros, better than Spain (49), the United Kingdom (59), Germany (64) and France (84). Primacy that places us at the forefront of the circular economy and allows us to already be the European leader in industrial recycling today.
For territorial, many green businesses are located in the northern regions, but their presence is widespread throughout the country. Lombardy is the region with the highest number of eco-investor companies, with 69.390, almost a fifth of the national total; followed by Veneto with 37.120 units, Lazio with 33.630 green businesses, Emilia-Romagna with 33.010 and Tuscany with 29.160.
For Symbola and Unioncamere, the green economy and the circular economy represent the best response to the crisis, a production paradigm capable of benefiting both businesses and employment in the long term.
“These businesses – says the president of the Symbola Foundation Hermes Realacci – demonstrate that our place in the world is not that of competitiveness at low prices and environmental and social dumping, but that of quality, made up of attention to detail, attention to human capital, cohesion, beauty, innovation and sustainability”.
“By investing green – continues Realacci – companies become more sustainable and above all more competitive and open a path that goes towards the future. The relaunch of traditional sectors such as construction also starts in the Budget Law, with Casa Italia, from energy saving, safety and sustainability. An Italy that makes Italy and that contributes to the COP22 in Marrakech and to the climate challenge by crossing the green economy with quality and beauty”.
"The data in our Report demonstrate once again that the green choice pays off", underlines the president of Unioncamere, Ivan Lo Bello. “This development model is proving to be a valuable tool for intercepting new consumption and life styles based on a greater demand for sobriety, attention to social justice and equity. These are emerging and rapidly growing styles on the global scenario that are leading towards an acceleration of the circular economy".
An innovation that, according to Lo Bello, “also comes from digitization. It is no coincidence that green companies are also the most digitized in our production fabric. Suffice it to say that 4 out of 5 are present on the web, have digitized processes and focus on digital skills, against just over half of non-green companies".
There was space, during the presentation, for a speech by Enel's managing director Francesco Starace, which addressed a theme very dear to the green world, that of electric cars, for which the national distribution plan of charging stations for electric cars “was prepared at the Milan Polytechnic e presented to Minister Delrio for his vision. Now it is directed by the Ministry of Infrastructures”.
"In the meantime - Starace specified - some cities have started, others not, they are initiatives in no particular order which, given that it is early, can be included in an organic plan and I believe it will be like this". According to the CEO of Enel, that of the columns is a job that can be tackled in an organic and orderly manner, without colossal investments.
