The climate plan that will lead South Tyrol to climate neutrality by 2040

Zero neutrality by 2040. This is the goal of South Tyrol’s ambitious and visionary 2040 Climate Plan, which has just been unanimously approved by the Bolzano council, with which the Province undertakes to do its part to protect the climate. “Of course we do not claim to save the world, but we must, we want and we can take responsibility for our sphere of influence,” said the president Arno Kompatscher during the presentation to the press of the text it provides 157 concrete measures divided into 7 sectors and 17 specific fields of action with which South Tyrol wants and can make its contribution to slowing down climate change.

“Achieving the climate goals is a huge challenge, but it is not an option or a question of ambition, but our duty: the duty of all citizens of the Earth”, added the South Tyrolean governor. Like many other EU countries and member states, the provincial government of South Tyrol also deemed it necessary to implement the climate objectives set at the 2015 Paris climate conference in a shorter timescale than 2050, setting them for 2040 “not because there we believe better, but because it is necessary,” Kompatscher stressed.

Of the 157 measures, 7 have already been completed, 109 are ongoing and 41 are still in the planning stage, explained Professor Gottfried Tappeiner, coordinator of the Scientific Commission. The 17 fields of action of the plan, which is a multidisciplinary program that involves all the important sectors of society with the aim of reducing greenhouse gases, range from communication and awareness to construction, from tourism to energy storage and transport electricity (South Tyrol produces about double the amount of electricity it consumes), from laws to regulations.

In addition to achieving climate neutrality by 2040 by reducing CO emissions₂, the aim is to achieve 100% energy from renewable sources. Emissions of greenhouse gases other than carbon dioxide, in particular No₂O and methanewill have to be reduced by 20% by 2030 and by 40% by 2037.

The focus is on the building standards and renovationson district heating which will increasingly use biomass, on the reduction of light pollution and on energy saving, on renewable energies, on the photovoltaic capacity (which will triple in the next 15 years), on the heavy traffic and freight transport (for a third on the Brenner A22), on passenger transport, on cycle-mobilityon agriculture and forestry, to name just a few areas.

It is not a static program, what is written is no longer discussed, but a plan that can be adapted to respond to new developments and new challenges that will arise. Its implementation will be monitored by a scientific team of experts, a citizens’ council and a group of stakeholders such as the umbrella organization for nature and environmental protection and youth representatives, and reports based on the results will be presented every two years scientific. Simply put: all sectors will need to commit to sustaining the path towards climate neutralityand the council’s promise is that no one will be left behind, because the plan aims at sustainable development for all citizens, for their children and for future generations.