Short‐term and long‐term climate mitigation policy in Italy

This article briefly discusses climate mitigation policy in Italy. It first reviews the recent policy action and then assesses the challenges ahead. It shows that emissions in 2012 will be below the Kyoto target only if the carbon intensity of the economies continues to decline at the pre‐crisis rate. Even in this favorable case, the use of Kyoto mechanisms will likely be necessary to compensate for the high emissions of 2008. This article then examines the implications of reducing emissions in 2050 by 80% with respect to the present level, as proposed by Major Economies Leaders during the 2009 G8 meeting. In particular, the article focuses on the transformations needed in the power sector. Scenarios developed using the integrated assessment model World Induced Hybrid Technical Change (WITCH) and an analysis of historical data show that (1) electricity in 2050 must come with zero (or possibly negative) emissions, and therefore, absent nuclear power and (2) carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) must play a major role in future power supply, even with a massive development of wind and photovoltaic. The article then proposes five pillars on which a sensible, long‐term, ambitious Italian climate mitigation policy should rest. WIREs Clim Change 2012, 3:171–183. doi: 10.1002/wcc.159 This article is categorized under: The Carbon Economy and Climate Mitigation > Policies, Instruments, Lifestyles, Behavior Policy and Governance > National Climate Change Policy