Snow and frost are synonymous with heavy inconvenience for the population, but also with enormous economic damage. Which now, a few days after the first wave (even if the forecasts say it won't end here), are starting to be calculated.
As for companies in general, it is the Chamber of Commerce of Monza and Brianza that has drawn up a first estimate of the damages suffered by companies in the North-West regions. According to the Research Office, the economic loss for businesses in Lombardy, Piedmont, Valle d'Aosta, Liguria and part of Emilia-Romagna will be over 550 million euros.
The most affected region is Lombardy with a cost for companies approaching 300 million, of which about 240 related to transport and travel and about 55 for employee absences and delays. Followed by Piedmont (over 135), Emilia-Romagna (almost 68), Liguria (about 44) and finally Valle d'Aosta (4,5 million). In Lombardy, the areas most affected are Milan (104 million), followed by Brescia (almost 39), Bergamo (about 31), Varese (24), Monza-Brianza (23), Como (16), Pavia (15), Mantua (13).
The strong economic repercussions of the snowfall are linked to the fact that a large part of the goods traffic of Lombard companies takes place by road, so much so that in Lombardy in the last 5 years between goods transport trucks and special vehicles there has been a growth of 15%, not to mention that in the region employees who go to work by car are over 35%.
The findings are worrying especially for agriculture, obviously the most affected sector due to the cold temperatures that destroyed the crops and the bad weather that hindered (or prevented) transport and supplies.
According to estimates by Coldiretti and Cia (Italian Farmers Confederation), the damage to the national agri-food chain currently amounts to around 400 million euros. The supplies of vegetables and other perishable products have suffered a cut of at least 30% in the central-southern regions affected by the bad weather, with deliveries proceeding patchily throughout the territory. Some towns are completely isolated and shops are closed, while the situation improves in cities like Rome.
The CIA estimates that 50 farm businesses are paralyzed, with 100 tons of fruit and vegetables, 200 liters of milk, one million eggs and almost 2 tons of beef, pork and poultry still blocked on the roads and in farms. Also worth noting the surge in diesel consumption for heating greenhouses and corporate structures, which in addition to dangerously fueling the gas emergency, risks causing a new wave of speculation on the prices of food products.
The supply of gas is in fact representing a major problem, especially for businesses. The problem lies in the fact that the wave of frost has not only affected Italy, but also other European countries, for example Russia, which is a major gas supplier of the Peninsula (through Gazprom). So a peak in consumption, 440 million cubic meters a day, crosses paths with a supply problem from Russia, which in turn is affected by the cold wave and has announced a drop in supplies for Italy. And while households will still be guaranteed, the so-called "interruptible customers", i.e. companies, are already subject to supply cuts.
Minister Passera assures that the situation is under control (Gazprom also guarantees that the worst is over), but in the meantime it was necessary to give the go-ahead to the oil burning, instead of methane gas, in thermoelectric plants for a week. Absolutely exceptional solution, as it is highly polluting. Legambiente is already on a war footing: "The umpteenth demonstration that in Italy we should focus more on renewable energies".
Ma even the gas emergency has its costs, especially for a country like Italy, which depends 90% on foreign sources for its energy and which covers 40% of its civil and industrial needs with natural gas (another 40% is oil). Already in 2006, the year of the Ukrainian crisis, for the pockets of the Italians, the emergency resulted in a further tax of 400 million euros. Furthermore, according to Confindustria estimates, in the event of a 3-day extension of disconnections, the reduction in gas supply will cost approximately one point of gross domestic product.
What about private damages? They think about those, as usual, consumer associations. The Union for the Defense of Consumers has not missed an opportunity to offer Roman citizens a class action for damages: will present a complaint to the Public Prosecutor's Office of the Capital "to ascertain any liability of the competent authorities". Alemann is warned.
Even further (perhaps too much) the Codacons: the association "invites citizens who, despite having had the utmost caution and attention, have suffered material or physical damage, from ruined shoes to sprains, to send a request for damages to the road owner by registered letter with return receipt (if it is an urban road to the Municipality and so on) and offer them legal assistance".
ITALY UNDER THE SNOW, SEND YOUR PHOTOS TO FIRSTONLINE GALLERY
