We are in the time of bio-politics. The G7 in Cornwall, the G20 in Naples are just a few examples. In short, we are called to act, more and more, according to biopolitics models that take on complex interstate dimensions. Sustainability and decarbonisation cannot fail to transform the geopolitical order.
And this also applies to the supply chain represented by the Federation of Paper and Graphics.
With 22 billion euros in turnover, the made in Italy paper and graphics sector, in which a trade balance with foreign countries of 3.5 billion euros stands out, represents 1.3% of GDP and confirms its role as a protagonist in Italian manufacturing, similar to the entire fashion system (1.1%).
An excellence of Made in Italy that plays an essential role in the ecological and digital transition.
With the pandemic crisis (and the government’s measures on essential industries) the paper and graphics supply chain has been “rediscovered” essential. A legal essentiality, but which was confirmed by the fact that the entire supply chain has played the role of supplier of “life-sustaining” products with continuity, thanks to companies and their workers, but also a fundamental hub of the circular economy Italian, as a recycler and transformer of urban and industrial separate waste collection in our country.
The Italy of paper and graphics is a champion of circularity with 61% of the paper and cardboard produced in Italy made from recycled paper and for some productions (paper and cardboard for corrugated cardboard) the paper to be recycled is the only material first.
With recycling rates that in the packaging sector are over 87%, for the first time above the target value of 85% set by the directive for 2030!
Italy is in 2nd place, after Germany, in Europe for the volumes of paper to be recycled annually used in its productions.The essentiality has allowed to limit the damage in 2020, while, in the meantime, the debate on the NRP and on the Recovery Fund.
Also in this case, the paper supply chain was recognized as one of the “flagship sectors” of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.
The Transition
We all agree on how important the Transition is important and fundamental and how it should be approached in a pragmatic and non-ideological way, when the goals are particularly ambitious.
Only if the nail holds up can the mirror think about the uselessness of nails, only if the wood burns and the air resists, the fire can dream of the absence of wood and the dove that of air. Aristotle seemed to argue (but Socrates and Plato also seem to agree) that to send philosophy to the devil, one must do philosophy!
In short, to think that in addition to nails there are many other ways that allow you to hang, it takes the necessary time and the transition time must be used well.
The story of the Disposable Plastic Directive is a little proof of this. To introduce major changes in the way of producing and living, the transition must be built.
The paper supply chain can make an important contribution in the transition towards even more sustainable, renewable and circular packaging.
The Italian government has grasped the point well and has adopted a strategy in which the “nail” will be replaced in a concrete way, without unnecessary “holes” in the wall.
As the story of disposable plastics demonstrates, time cannot be bought or, if it is bought, it can only be done in some cases, for example in a bank.
On the other hand, in the field of Ecological Transition, time cannot be bought. It is very important that the institutions are very “reactive” and in addition to indicating ambitious objectives, they work to complete the “toolbox” for a completed Transition. I will give some examples that come from everyday experience.
The transition of industry towards a decarbonised economy requires tools and times compatible with technological development.
Ordinary tools
First of all, ordinary instruments must be implemented.
We cannot improve the environmental performance of our plants if there are no concrete technological solutions that can replace the current ones. The effort of the companies must be to adopt the best practices, compatibly with the economic stability of the company itself, especially if it operates in an international market context.
We are in the delicate phase in which technological evolution shows the innovations that will be available in the next 10/20 years and at the same time efficient, with the help of digitization, the processes currently in place.
We cannot think today of factories abandoning natural gas to switch on / off to hydrogen or biofuel, simply because these new technologies are not yet available on an industrial scale.
In this sense, it is essential to continue decisively along the path for the introduction of a single gas trading area at European level, or the abolition of cross-border zero tariffs as proposed in the Quo Vadis study of the European Commission.
The free circulation of gas within the EU by eliminating tariff barriers must all the more reasonably be guaranteed considering that the path towards decarbonisation will also make it necessary to transport gases with a low CO2 content (biomethane, hydrogen) using the existing infrastructures.
Only the absence of barriers to the movement of these gases within the EU will allow the Union itself to achieve the decarbonisation objectives at the lowest cost for the community by exploiting the synergies and peculiarities of the Member States.
The unrepeatable opportunity to correct these distortions is on our tables in recent months with the process of reviewing the structure of the gas market to also include decarbonised gases currently underway at the European Commission.
It is not enough to say that, as we read yesterday in the Corriere della Sera, that reducing gas consumption will lower your bills.
Apart from the fact that gas consumption in Italy is expected to remain at least at 50 billion cubic meters until 2030, try a little to see what the cost of the MW is in Italy and what tools are actually available to purchase electricity from sources. renewable.
The expected DM on the Energy Efficiency Certificates market, for which our country was awarded in 2017 and which generated over 20 million TOE savings in the 15 years of operation, appears to us truly inadequate due to the strong downsizing of scope of the instrument, with reduced objectives and with ample space for virtual market instruments.
We are referring to the so-called virtual tees, which can be used by those obliged to purchase as an alternative to real tees.
Transition is not delay
The certainty of investment planning also passes from the certainty that the efficiency deriving from investments will be valorised, compulsorily (and not with virtual securities) and with support values adequate to the cost of the technologies.
The alternative is to leave companies at the mercy of the markets and costs that the transition imposes on those who cannot keep up with the evolution.
Without stimulus and support tools, the only “driver” remains ETS, which however has characteristics that do not drive investments.
The recent price hikes, driven by the new European targets and the consequent speculative positions of hedge funds, which can afford to enter and exit the mechanism based on prices, have in fact anticipated the post-2025 scenarios without the future technical solutions being already available.
Businesses are forced to pay the Ets cost today that they would have avoided paying in the future if they had had the time to ground the necessary investments.
Also for these reasons it is necessary to close the dossier on the coverage of indirect CO2 costs, which has been applied for years throughout Europe, except in Italy, in a short time.
It helps to sterilize the Ets risk on Carbon Leakage subjects, shielding them from the risk of relocation.
The release of the 3 measures in 3 central sectors of decarbonization, gas, efficiency and ETS, could allow our companies to remain hooked to the European green train without continuing to suffer incalculable damage, and at the same time provide the necessary push to continue investing in research. , technology and machinery that has always distinguished the Italian industry with a view to a renewed Energy and Ecological Transition
A final mention again to the NRP in which ample space was given to support for renewable sources, but no specific measures to support energy efficiency
In short, the Transition is important, if it is not “delay” but it is the time to make decisions, create technological alternatives and the tools to invest in our tomorrow.
Above all, if during the Transition, we continue with method and application to make the “ordinary” tools that already exist … Which is the best way to “make the” extraordinary instrument of the PNRR “work in a few months.