'Mare Monstrum' report:Environmental crimes continue to increase in Italy

The quality of the Italian sea is still there heavily compromised from illegal cement, pollution, poor purification and poaching.In 2022 alone, they are indeed well 19.530 environmental crimes recorded along the coast of Italy, 3.2% more than the previous year.This is attested by the relationship annual Legambiente, “Mare Monstrum“, which draws a clear picture of the main phenomena of attack on the natural heritage of coastal areas, recording how almost half of the environmental crimes were committed, once again, in the regions a traditional mafia settlement.

The illegal cement cycle (occupations of maritime state property, illegal quarries, offenses in public works contracts, illegal construction), alone, represents 52.9% of environmental crimes (10,337) recorded in 2022.They follow various illegal phenomena – from bad purification to waste disposal – with 4,730 criminal offences.Then there is poaching, which accounts for 3,839.In addition to environmental crimes, there is a sharp increase compared to 2021 administrative offences (44,444), which grew by as much as 13.1%.They amount to 624 le violations of the Navigation Code relating to pleasure boating, even within protected areas:the figure is growing strongly compared to 2021 (+197.1%), with 286 people reported/arrested and 329 seizures.

If we add the number of crimes to that of administrative offenses committed in Italian territory we arrive at an average of 8.7 infringements for every km of coastline (+1.2% compared to 2021), one every 115 metres.If the impact of environmental illegality along the coasts and seas of our country is growing, Legambiente highlights that, at the same time, thecontrol activities carried out by the port authorities and law enforcement agencies, the impact of which, including seizures and administrative sanctions, amounts to over 486 million euros.The number of. decreases slightly (-4% compared to 2021). people arrested and reported (19,658) and, to a greater extent, that of seizures (3.590, -43,3%).

48.7% of the crimes were confirmed in the four regions with a traditional mafia presence.There Campania leads the national ranking with 3,345 crimes, equal to 17.1% of the national total.Behind, there are Puglia (2,492 crimes), Sicily (2.184), Lazio (1,741) e Calabria (1,490 crimes).There Tuscany it is in sixth position in terms of criminal offenses (1,442), but rises to second place after Campania in terms of administrative offenses (4,392), followed by Sicily (4,198 offenses and 8,712 sanctions).The ranking of infringements per km of coast sees the Basilicata in first place for the number of crimes and administrative offenses (32.7 for each km).In second place is theEmilia-Romagna, with 29.1 infringements, in third place Molise, with 28.In 2022, the total tons of fish products seized were over 400, almost 1,097 kilos per day.In first place is Sicily, with over 129 tons, followed by Puglia and Liguria.

With respect to the political-legislative question, in the Legambiente report address eight proposals to the Meloni government with a view to protecting Italy's environmental heritage.The association advocates, first of all, the restoration - also through regulatory changes - of the effectiveness of the art.10bis of law 120/2020, which entrusts the Prefects with the task of demolish illegal constructions subject to abatement orders issued but not carried out by the Municipalities and the strengthening of the activity to combat illegal occupations of maritime state property, as well as the relaunch of the construction, adaptation and bringing into compliance of the purification sewage systems.Legambiente also proposes the efficiency of water purification waste water, "allowing their complete reuse in strategic sectors such as agriculture, overcoming national regulatory obstacles (DM 4 185/2003) with the implementation of EU regulation 741/2020".

The association also requests to improve and make the checks by regional environmental protection agencies, to strictly regulate the discharge of liquid waste into the sea "by establishing, for example, special zones prohibiting any type of discharge, even beyond 12 miles from the coast" and to promote active policies with a view to "prevention in the production of waste and for the better protection of the sea and the coast".Lastly, Legambiente asks the Executive and Parliament to implement adequate regulatory interventions against the illegal fishing, undeclared and undocumented.

[by Stefano Baudino]