Italian Parliament applauds MP petition
13.11.2015
The call for the 21st session of the Conference of Parties of the UNFCCC (referred to as COP21) to include safeguarding mountains in their agenda was reinforced on 12 November 2015 by Italy’s Chamber of Deputies, when a number of Members of Parliament and other national government officials signed the Mountain Partnership petition on climate change in mountains. Organized by the Italian Parliamentary Intergroup for Mountain Development, the meeting reiterated the message in the petition, urging COP21 delegates to include the major environmental challenges faced in the Highlands in the upcoming negotiations.
The meeting, moderated by Micaela Palmieri, a national television reporter, was attended by Members of Parliament: Enrico Borghi, Ermete Realacci, Stella Bianchi, Chiara Gribaudo and Roger De Menech; Councillor of Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Grammenos Mastrojeni; Rosalaura Romeo of the Mountain Partnership Secretariat and representatives of the National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI) and the National Organization of Mountain Municipalities, Communities and Bodies (UNCEM).
Following a parliamentary question time, which saw Honourable Marina Berlinghieri as the first signatory, Minister of the Environment Gian Luca Galletti committed "to supporting initiatives seeking recognition of the vulnerability of mountain environments and communities in the negotiations and in the final documents of COP21".
"The great environmental challenges that affect mountainous areas have finally entered Italian policy, as evidenced by the Environmental Law linked to stability in the area of green economy and conservation of natural resources”, said Senator Andrea Olivero, expressing his support in a message sent to Borghi, President of the Intergroup for Mountain Development. “Adopting legislative measures to contain the adverse effects of climate change is a responsibility that no government can avoid."
"The petition launched by the Mountain Partnership, which is now reaching 5 000 signatures, is very timely. We must continue to support it”, said Borghi.
Mountains are among the ecosystems most severely threatened by climate change. Some of the most obvious signs of climate change are seen only in the mountains - the melting of glaciers and reduction of alpine meadows, for example. Mountains are becoming increasingly vulnerable to natural disasters, which, are increasing in frequency and intensity and causing heavy loss of life, infrastructure and environment. In addition, climate change is affecting the availability of water for domestic, agricultural and industrial use, as more than 60 percent comes from the mountains.
"Only in the last round of UNFCCC negotiations did a reference to mountains appear”, highlighted Romeo, referring to a reference in brackets to ”small mountainous states in developing countries” as a group that could be cited as particularly vulnerable to climate change. “Certainly a step forward, but with a formulation that excludes countries such as Argentina, India and Morocco, which host major mountain ranges, but do not fall within the definition of small mountainous states".
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