The ecological revolution of Italian cities is proceeding too slowly

The Urban Ecosystem 2024 report shows some progress in Italian cities, but too slow.And there is too much gap between north and south.

• Reggio Emilia first in the ranking drawn up by the Urban Ecosystem 2024 report, with southern cities and metropolises performing poorly.
• Good news from separate waste collection, it slows down land consumption, public transport improves.
• Bad smog and amount of cars, too much water is wasted.And overtourism is now a serious problem.

Despite some slow improvements, the chronic emergencies of Italian cities (from smog to traffic, from water dispersion to land consumption) remain unresolved, with notable differences that remain between the north and south of the country and a new growing concern, that linked to the phenomenon of so-called overtourism which is transforming many of the most beautiful cities of art (from Venice to Florence, passing through the center of Rome) into amusement parks for tourists, with skyrocketing prices for accommodation, rather than places of real life.This is what emerges from the report Urban ecosystem 2024, developed by Legambiente, Ambiente Italia and Il Sole 24 Ore, which analyzes the environmental performance of the capitals of Italian provinces.

Urban ecosystem 2024, the situation point by point

The report reports that there is slow progress in the ecological path of Italian cities, but that "this ongoing ecological revolution is too slow and not uniform among cities".In short, the survey, carried out on 106 capitals, took into account 20 indicators distributed across 6 thematic areas (air, water, waste, mobility, urban environment, energy), takes a snapshot of cities in change, amidst many difficulties and few improvements.

Smog and cars, a constant emergency

Smog continues to weigh on Italian cities, although for example nitrogen dioxide shows a slight decline compared to the last five years. The Eagle stands out with excellent air quality, particularly due to the lower incidence of PM10, the largest particulate particles, followed by Ragusa.However, many cities, especially large metropolises, continue to experience alarming levels of air pollutants.The challenge to improve air quality remains a priority, even in light of the near 50 thousand premature deaths which every year are attributed to exposure to PM2.5, the smallest particles which are also the most dangerous, because they are capable of infiltrating the human respiratory system much better.

Cars continue to represent one of the main sources of emissions, as well as management of public land.With 67.7 vehicles per 100 inhabitants, the Italian car fleet is among the largest in Europe and continues to grow, especially in large urban centres.This year, the report reiterates the need for "more sustainable mobility, with fewer cars and more environmentally friendly vehicles". Catania, after all in the general ranking (106th position), suffers from one of the highest motorization rates, with 79 cars per 100 inhabitants, while Reggio Emilia, first in the rankings, is a virtuous example with extensive and well-developed cycling infrastructure.

The small progress of public transport

For the third consecutive year, the Urban Ecosystem report records a slight increase in the number of public transport passengers, a positive signal but which remains insufficient. Milan excels in this field with 415 trips per inhabitant, even if in the general ranking it only placed 56th, penalized by other environmental criticalities. Bologna, a new entry among the top ten cities (eighth), shows significant progress thanks to an improvement in public transport and an increase in pedestrian areas, which is part of the 30mph city project inaugurated a few months ago.

Waste management, a differentiated situation

Separate waste collection is good, which reaches an average of 64.2 percent nationally, with 62 cities exceeding the European target of 65 percent.Among the best are cities such as Ferrara and Treviso, while cities like Palermo (102nd in the ranking) e Catania they remain at the rear due to the low percentage of waste collected separately, with levels well below national standards.

Land consumption, a law is still missing

Urban land use remains a critical issue.Brindisi and Enna, with a very high increase in urbanized surfaces, are emblems of a problem that puts the ecological balance and the urban landscape at risk.“An overall vision would be needed,” he underlines Mirko Laurenti, coordinator of the report, “to manage land resources sustainably and minimize unnecessary expansion.”A national law would be needed, which has been blocked in Parliament for years.

Water losses, an aid to drought

Water losses continue to compromise the efficiency of services in many Italian cities, with an average of 36.3 percent of the water lost before reaching the taps, especially in a context in which drought is becoming increasingly alarming, especially in the cities of the South.There are few cities that manage to contain losses to within 15 percent, and all of them in the North, including Alexandria and Pavia.In the South, the situation is dramatic, with cities like Reggio Calabria which sees over 60 percent of the water wasted.

Overtourism:a new challenge for cities of art

The 2024 report highlights how overtourism is becoming a real emergency in Italian art cities.Locations like Venice and Florence they face a massive influx of tourists which not only increases waste but puts pressure on infrastructure, making it difficult to ensure an adequate quality of life for residents.Legambiente underlines that "the balance between tourism and urban sustainability must be rethought so as not to compromise the liveability of cities".

The overall ranking:Reggio Emilia first, Catania last

The general ranking sees Reggio Emilia in first place, followed by Trento and Parma.Emilia Romagna thus confirms itself as one of the most virtuous regions, while the South struggles to improve, to the point that eight southern cities are among the last ten positions: Catania, Reggio Calabria and Naples close the ranking.Among the metropolises, Bologna stands out as the only large city in the top ten, a new entry that testifies to the progress achieved in environmental management.The other metropolises are struggling:Milan is placed 56th in the ranking, but excels in public transport, while Naples is 103rd, last year it was 98th.Rome rises in the ranking to 65th place (in 2023 it was 89th).

The Urban Ecosystem 2024 report concludes with a call for more courageous and integrated environmental policies.“To respond to urban emergencies and promote a true ecological transition, a national strategy that supports municipalities is needed,” says Laurenti, reiterating the urgency of infrastructures and policies to support cities to adapt to the climate crisis, improve air quality and ensure a sustainable future for citizens.