In Italy, says Renzo Piano, we need to start two small cultural revolutions: trust in science and pride in beauty. It is a good injection of optimism for the mass of investments to be activated and for healthy environmental impacts. Too bad our heritage is seriously at risk. In Rome alone 3600 limestone monuments and 60 bronze works lose material due to damage to the environment. Air pollution in the capital, say, is estimated at between 5,2 and 5,9 millionths of a meter (micron) per year.
Piano is the thinking head of a major redevelopment project for cities and suburbs. The government has given him credit and the business world is following with interest the path that can lead us out of the "dark Middle Ages", to quote the senator for life again. The data to work on may be that from the EPA (Environment Protection Agencies), the network of agencies for environmental protection, which has just been disclosed. EPA partners with the Institute for Environmental Protection and Research and engages with national agency directors to raise awareness among governments. The sick, unprotected environment is not doing well for the largest open museum in Europe and more generally for the landscape. The large industrial groups invest in restoration and embellishment, but we continue to be amazed by the progressive deterioration of the habitat.
The impact of air pollutants on monuments remains the greatest threat. 2016 ended disastrously with 4.793 fires, 24 square meters of territory at high risk of landslides and an infinite number of monuments destroyed, disfigured, due to climate change. A Middle Ages of our times, with little munificent aristocracy. Some hope comes from a growing desire of ordinary citizens to help out. The EPA has created a working group for Citizen Science projects (“science done by citizens”). It can become something more than a hope, together with the environmental commitment of other international agencies.
It's not just a question of drawing up reports and statistics, but of organizing resources and capabilities for concrete objectives. A beneficial correlation will also be with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals program for improving ecosystem services and regulation. You have to believe it to see the two small revolutions imagined by Renzo Piano concluded.
