“ITALIAN GOOD PRACTICES ON COMMUNICATING CLIMATE CHANGE ”

European Regional Workshop on Article 6 of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change

Mr. Gaetano Battistella 11

“ITALIAN GOOD PRACTICES ON

COMMUNICATING CLIMATE CHANGE”

Mr. Gaetano BattistellaInformation, Documentation and Librarian Activities Dept.

Institute for Environmental Protection and ResearchItaly


Mr. Gaetano Battistella 22

Index

1. Introduction

2. Good Practices for Communicating Climate Change

3. The Italian Good Practices for Communicating Climate Change

4. ISPRA Good Practices for Communicating Climate Change

5. Italian National Conference on Climate Change 2007

6. Junior Conference on Climate Change - Game simulation ‘Tell it to the dinosaurs’

7. Conclusions

8. References


Mr. Gaetano Battistella

1. Introduction

Sharing lessons learned and best practices in thematic regional workshops is a unique opportunity to review work programmes and to evaluate their effectiveness, identifying emerging gaps and opportunities among Countries.

In the field of communicating climate change this is also an added value to initiatives and events promoted in order to match this complex problem, also trying to find successful solutions through possible cooperation and convergent actions for climate change phenomena mitigation and adaptation.

United Nations strategies for these purposes could also achieve positive effects through exchanging of information on environmental initiatives based on education, training and public awareness raising, performing a preliminary state of the art of related events and activities.

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1. Introduction

In this frame, the Group of Experts ex Article 6 UNFCCC started an intermediate review of good practices on communicating climate change in different Countries, also with the contribution of the Network ‘Green Spider’ of the European Union Commission DG Environment.

This survey has been hold also in Italy, where many practices have been collected in different fields at national, regional and local level (local agenda 21 database) and selected mainly in their different areas of intervention, as best practices for sustainability (GELSO database), environmental communication and information campaigns, education towards sustainability.

Projects and initiatives have been selected following the methodology of using the best databases information on events financed by European, national and regional funds, winners of specific competitions, mentions on institutional web sites as relevant practices.

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2. Good Practices for Communicating Climate Change

To define a ‘good practice’ of environmental communication on climate change’ as such, initiatives have been selected following 2 basic criteria of selection based on the following 2 requirements:

1. Eligibility criteria, that means an initiative recognised and identified as a practice to be selected as representative of initiatives of communicating climate change as already set up, easily used by others and corresponding to quality objectives and targets adopted at national and international level;

2. Qualification criteria, that means a good practice recognised and qualified in terms of good contents, results and effects, implemented with partnership’s participation and cooperation and through sustainable structures operating at local level.

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3. Italian Good Practices for Communicating Climate Change

Many of the selected good practices are available for consultation in the ISPRA database Sinanet at the URL www.sinanet.apat.it/it/gelso/bancaDati/bancaDati/ricerca/index.html using the Italian key word ‘riduzione delle emissioni di gas serra’ (more than 79 good practices), with some web pages to explain a general framework of the issues with references to documentation of possible further interest.

The complete GELSO database containing the best practices on sustainability is available at the URL www.sinanet.apat.it/it/gelso

All these collected good practices – that are the results of the survey – are included in a list available to the Group in order to give an Italian contribution to this European Regional Workshop on Article 6 of the UNFCCC (Education, Training and Public Awareness) and further to support contents for a dedicated booklet to be issued for the forthcoming Conference of Copenaghen at the end of the year 2009.

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http://www.sinanet.apat.it/it/gelso/bancaDati/bancaDati/ricerca/index.html











http://www.sinanet.apat.it/it/gelso







These intermediate survey’s results of good practices for communicating climate change are possible good examples that could be included also in the Italian National Communication under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.All the 24 selected good practices are described in formats with their details, collected and classified in 8 areas of intervention:1. Applied social research: Research made to know people ideas, attitudes, knowledge and behaviours on climate change and energy issues, public opinion surveys, qualitative research (No good practices).

2. Access to information: Innovative and practical initiatives to improve citizen information on climate change issues; newsletters, electronic information systems (5 good practices)

3. Education: Initiatives to promote and enhance the inclusion of climate change in school curicula at all levels;innovative methods for teaching and learning on climate change issues (4 good practices)

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4. Training: Initiatives on capacity building for workers and professionals to improve mitigation of and adaptation to climate change in business , industry and public administration (4 good practices)

5. Public awareness: Initiatives to raise awareness and public understanding on climate change issues. 6 good practices

6. Public participation: Instruments and experiences on promoting and facilitating public participation on climate change policies and measures (2 good practices)

7. International cooperation: Best initiatives on international cooperation in the implementation of Art 6 of the UNFCCC (2 good practices)

8. Networking: Networks on communication, education and public participation on climate change issues. Networks facilitating the dissemantion of bet experiences and the development of joint efforts on these fields (1 good practice)

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3. Italian Good Practices for Communicating Climate ChangeN. Organisation Activity Duration Short Description URL

1. Applied social research (Research made to know people’s ideas, attitudes, knowledge and behaviors on climate change and energy issues, public opinion surveys, qualitative research): No practices.

2. Access to information (Innovative and practical initiatives to improve citizen information on climate change issues; newsletters, electronic information systems).

2.1

Province of Rimini Eco-idea Desk

Start 2005Implement

ed

Information itinerant desk on sustainable behaviours and attitudes green purchasing, water saving, renewable energy.

www.ecoidea.provincia.rimini.it

2.2

Province of Ferrara

Ecoidea Desk

Start 2003Implement

ed

LA 21 Pilot-project spreading best practices for environmental protection, energy saving and consumption aware, through handbooks and guides.

www.provincia.fe.it/ecoidea

2.3

Lombardia Regional

Administration

Kyoto Desk

Implemented

Quality promotion in production processes, raising awareness in business for Kyoto Protocol and EU Directive 87/2003/CE.

www.lom.camcom.it/

2.4

Municipality of Reggio Emilia

LAKS - Local Accountability for

Kyoto Goals

On going

Local accountability system of GHG emissions monitoring policies and activities impacts, addressing emissions reduction strategies of European cities.

www.futurosostenibile.comune.re.it

2.5

Lazio Regional Administration

Kyoto information desk Lazio

On going

Information desk linking institutions, trade associations, local authorities, citizens and businesses on climate change.

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http://www.ecoidea.provincia.rimini.it/







http://www.provincia.fe.it/ecoidea






http://www.lom.camcom.it/





http://www.futurosostenibile.comune.re.it/








3. Italian Good Practices for Communicating Climate Change3. Education (Initiatives to promote and enhance the inclusion of climate change in school curricula at all levels; innovative methods for teaching and learning on climate change issues).

3.1

ISPRA

Tell it to dinosaurs!

2007

6 months

Environmental education game simulation for local territorial planning through problem-solving approach and "virtual" contest design for Junior Conference on climate change.

3.2

C.N.I. UNESCO -DESD

Week for

Sustainable Development

Education

Nov.5 -11, 2007 1 week

UNESCO national week focused in 2007 on climate change with many national and local events (conferences, campaigns, exhibitions, education).

www.unescodess.it/iniziative/eventi/settimana_educazione_sviluppo_sostenibile

3.3

Environmental Agency of Bolzano

(APPA Bolzano)

“School - Climate” initiative

2008 – 2009

On going

Information exhibition “Together for the climate”, educational projects “The climate for ours” and “In school without the car” for eco-sustainable mobility, linked to Alliance for the Climate Program.

www.energie-sparen.it/it/kids.html

3.4

Municipality of Reggio Emilia

“Gathering green miles”

StartSept 20041month/y

Educational travel-game for CO2 reduction at schools and in the family context boosting sustainable mobility in the home-school way.

www.municipio.re.it

1010

http://www.unescodess.it/iniziative/eventi/settimana_educazione_sviluppo_sostenibile














http://www.energie-sparen.it/it/kids.html





http://www.municipio.re.it/





3. Italian Good Practices for Communicating Climate Change4. Training (Initiatives on capacity building for workers and professionals to improve mitigation of and adaptation to climate change in business, industry and public administration).

4.1

Municipality of Rome

Roma per Kyoto Project

2004- 2008

Implemented

City of Rome Action Plan for Kyoto Protocol implementation with actions to reach 6.5% CO2 emissions reduction (Italian objective) by 2012 as compared to 1990 emissions, lowing city’s GHG concentration and incrementing absorption capacity.

www.sportellokyotolazio.it/

4.2

Energy and Environment

Agency of Naples

City Instruments

Start Dec. 2005

Implemented

Experts’ forum monitoring, evaluating and developing innovative instruments of technical, financial or organisational nature to promote Rational Use of Energy (RUE) and Renewable Energy Sources (RES) in urban areas.

www.city-instruments.eu/

4.3

Municipality of Venice

AMICA

2007Implement

ed

INTERREG IIIC Project ‘Adaptation and Mitigation - an Integrated Climate Policy Approach for environmental policy’ combining long-term climate protection with short and midterm adaptation measures at local level improving decisions and resources allocation.

www.amica-climate.net/home1.html

4.4

Province of

Livorno

LACRe -

On going

LIFE+ Project Local Alliance for Climate Responsibility aimed at promoting reduction of emissions responsible of climate change with public-private partnership to tackle climate change challenges for a new industrial evolution.

www.provincia.livorno.it

1111

http://www.sportellokyotolazio.it/




http://www.city-instruments.eu/




http://www.amica-climate.net/home1.html









http://www.provincia.livorno.it/







3. Italian Good Practices for Communicating Climate Change5. Public awareness (Initiatives to raise awareness and public understanding on climate change issues).

5.1

Ministry of

Environment and ISPRA

Italian National Conference on

Climate Change 2007

8 monthsImplement

ed

Conference concerning vulnerability alterations caused by climate change in Italy and potential adaptation options, suggesting effective actions, opportunities from climate change and new roles for institutions, local organizations, business and civil society.

5.2

ARPAT Environmental

Agency of Toscana

Switching off, I do not waste and I do

not spend!

20066 monthsimplement

ed

DESS UNESCO Project of the National Week of Education for Sustainable Development for public administration adopting energy saving behaviours during working day and as daily behaviours.

www.arpat.toscana.it/emas/se-spengo

5.3

Ministry of Economic

Development,Ministry for

Environment,ISPRA, RENAEL

Communication campaign

Communication, information and education campaign providing information on technologies, plants and regulations concerning the renewable sources of energy and energy efficiency with National Network for Local Energy Companies (RENAEL).

5.4

Province of

Venezia

Biciclima

Implement

ed

BiciClima involves 15 municipalities in the province of Venice to promote lifestyle changes as daily mobility contributing to pursue Kyoto Protocol goals on climate change, energy conservation, air quality.

www.biciclima.it/

5.5

ARPA Valle d’Aosta

Communicating Climate Change and consequent environmental

effects

2007 –2008

Implemented

In the “Envie d’Environnement” initiative experts narrate, illustrate, analyse, the main environmental themes on climate change, by means of educational laboratories, games, conferences, informative panels, videos, theatres, cinema, etc.

5.6

Municipality of Firenze

R.A.C.E.S. - Raising

Awareness on Climate and

Energy Saving

On going

Project and campaign on climate change and sustainability issues focusing on urban climate mitigation and adaptation strategies and helping local audiences to change lifestyles behaviours and to participate local environmental policy.

www.synergy-net.info/

1212

http://www.arpat.toscana.it/emas/se-spengo








http://www.biciclima.it/



http://www.synergy-net.info/

http://www.synergy-net.info/




6. Public participation (Instruments and experiences on promoting and facilitating public participation on climate change policies and measures).

6.1

RAI Radio 2 “Caterpillar” radio

broadcast

“Let brighten less”

January - February

2009 Implement

ed

Energy Saving Day annual Italian communication campaign sponsored by the Ministry of the Environment, Protection of Land and Sea and supported by UE for own private energy use reduction from 6:00-7:30 pm (energy silence) with turning-off of most important monuments and city squares.

milluminodimeno.blog.rai.it/

6.2

Municipality of Bologna and

Agenzia Energia e Ambiente of Torino

K.I.T.H. Kyoto In

The Home

Implemented

Project Intelligent Energy Europe informing and educating EU citizens and developing resources for teachers, activities for students and information for families on energy sustainable use at home, translated, adapted and trailed in 10 EU Member States.

www.kyotoinhome.info/

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3. Italian Good Practices for Communicating Climate Change7. International cooperation (Best initiatives on international cooperation in the implementation of Art. 6 of the UNFCCC).

7.1

Municipality of Modena

INNOVATIVE THINKING

2006 - 2009

Actions and Strategies for Sustainable Growth through Community Networking and Innovative Thinking financed by Intelligent Energy Europe Programme to get better understanding amongst local decision-makers on impacts of sustainable energy measures.

www.innovativethinking.eu/

7.2

Municipality of Bologna and

Torino

K.I.T.H. Kyoto In The Home

Implemented

See point 6.2

See point 6.2

8. Networking (Networks on communication, education and public participation on climate change issues. Networks facilitating the dissemination of best experiences and the development of joint efforts on these fields).

8.1 Municipality of Modena

INNOVATIVE THINKING

2006 - 2009

See point 7.1 See point 7.1

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4. ISPRA Good Practices for Communicating Climate Change

ISPRA, the Italian Institute for Environmental Research and Protection, is responsible of 3 good practices and namely:


2. Junior Conference on Climate Change - Game simulation ‘Tell it to the dinosaurs’

3. RENAEL Communication Campaign on Renewable Sources of Energies and Energy Efficiency

The former 2 events are already performed and can be described in details, while the latter includes activities still running.

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Responsible for Environmental Communication : Mrs. R. Montesanti - Mrs. S. Lombardo (in cooperation with the Italian Ministry for Environment, Land and Sea) Objectives: Raising awareness on climate change in society analyzing issues concerning vulnerability and alterations caused by climate change in Italy and potential adaptation options, suggesting effective actions based on scientific results, identifying new roles for institutions, local organizations, enterprises and civil society. Target groups: Citizen, national, regional and local institutions, business sector and civil society Budget: € 1.500.000.00 Media/channel: National and local press, national and local broadcasting stations, specialised magazines Number of people reached: 3.000 persons at the conference, plus 2.000 persons at the workshops Length of the activity: 8 months Representativeness: (is it special for your area?) Yes. Participation of Head of State, Head of Government, Ministries, Under Secretaries of State, International Representatives (UNEP, HDR, OCSE, UNFCCC, etc.) Theme: Adaptation to Climate Change Can it easily be used by others?: Yes Did you cooperate with someone – NGO, other agency?: FAO and the Italian Environmental Agencies System

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5. Italian National Conference on Climate Change 2007This Conference has been organised in Rome on September 2007.

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The conference has been preceded by a series of preparatory workshops aimed to raise awareness on selected themes among general public, local and national institutions as well as scientists, researchers and journalists.

These workshops were held in several Italian localities and the workshops were chosen according to the risks to which these localities are mostly exposed, as for example desertification, glaciations, hydrological damage, impacts on the marine coastal environment, impacts on health, CO2 emissions, Po River basin impacts.

Overall aim of the National Conference was to find solutions and take action, following the conference slogan “It’s the moment to take action” focusing mainly on environmental science, in term of the main themes discussed (desertification, glaciers and areas prone to de-glaciation, marine and coastal environments, hydro-geological disruption, the Venice lagoon and the northern Adriatic Sea).



The Conference discussed mitigation and adaptation strategies.


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The Conference mostly examined issues concerning vulnerability alterations caused by climate change in Italy and potential adaptation options (i.e. passive defense, active defense, insurance defense and abandonment), while suggesting effective actions based on recommendations stemming from pre-conference workshops and meetings.

Environmental themes were analyzed both from a scientific and socio-economic point of view and concerned the following issues:1. the greatest risks for the Italian territory (desertification, glaciers and areas prone to de-glaciation, marine and coastal environments, hydro-geological disruption, the Venice lagoon and the northern Adriatic Sea);2. current health risks linked to climate change;3. current state and trends in greenhouse gas concentrations in Italy.

The Conference also highlighted the opportunities that may arise from climate change and the new role that institutions, local organizations, businesses and civil society can play, with the objectives to raise awareness on climate change and push society to act.




At the conference participated the Italian Head of State, the Italian Head of Government, Italian Ministries and Under Secretaries, as well as International Representatives (UNEP, HDR, OCSE, UNFCCC, etc.).

The number of people reached was about 3.000 persons at the conference, plus 2.000 persons at the workshops and many media/channels have been involved, as national and local press, national and local broadcasting stations and specialised magazines.

The preparatory and organizing work was developed in about 8 months in cooperation with Experts from FAO and the Italian Environmental Agencies System (ARPA/APPA).

A dedicated web site was also activated to reference participants and general public on the event, as well as a brochure.




6. Junior Conference on Climate ChangeResponsible for Environmental Education: Mr. A. Pirozzi - Mrs. S. Calicchia Objectives: (Educational) To explain concepts of climate change, global warming, mitigation and adaptation strategies and governance, analysing human activities and elements affecting climate change

Target groups: Students of the Secondary Schools (14 – 18 years old) Budget: ISPRA internal personnel Media/channel: Website at URL http://www.conferenzacambiamenticlimatici2007.it/site/it-IT/Sezioni/CNJunior/La_Conferenza_Junior/http://www.formeducambiente.apat.it/site/it-IT/Educazione_ambientale/Conferenza_Junior/ Number of people reached: 200 and more persons Length of the activity: 6 months (planning + realization of the activity) Representativeness: (is it special for your area?) Yes Theme: Education on Climate Change Can it easily be used by others?: Yes. ISPRA is preparing a multimedia kit for schools (handbook, playing cards, maps, dossier, etc.). Did you cooperate with someone – NGO, other agency?: The University Youth Centre (CTS) – Environmental Education Office; University of Sassari (Prof. Paola Rizzi); Environmental Protection Agency of Tuscany, Italian Geographical Society and the Italian Association of Geography Teachers

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This Conference has been organised in Rome on September 2007.6. Junior Conference on Climate Change

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In this event, about 200 persons, including students of secondary schools (14-18 years old), approached climate change problems in a global overview of concerned phenomena by means of a simulation game on Italian territory, trying to identify specific aspects and possible mitigation and adaptation countermeasures to be adopted to match them.

20 priorities identified in a ‘Charta’ as possible positive actions to react to the running situation on Italian territory as: adoption of renewable energy plants, wastewater recovery system, territorial research and technology incentives, low energy consumption buildings, land management control, renewable energy use incentives, energy and water savings, water sustainable use in agriculture and industry, energy education, waste management, land planning, energy saving information campaigns, research and training promotion, renewable energy development, sustainable mobility, local emissions tax, new economic model, eco-sustainable tourism, local products and services promotion.

6. Junior Conference on Climate Change

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Game simulation is a methodology that is mainly used in urban planning and recently has been used also in Environmental Education, with the objective to design a "virtual" contest, whose characteristics reflect dynamics and components of reality.

This innovative methodology adopted in this ‘good practice’ aims at stimulating active participation and involvement of citizens (young or adults) in local territorial planning through a problem-solving approach, following 2 strategies:1. to facilitate a multi-subject knowledge on environmental topics2. to promote an educational approach on individuals that are learning so to develop in them critical and personal thinking.

In this frame, the main educational objectives are:a) to explain concepts of climate change, global warming, mitigation and adaptation strategies and governance;b) to recognise human activities affecting the climate;c) to analyse elements determining climate change and its spatial and temporal scale.


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This work was prepared by ISPRA in about 6 months in cooperation with CTS Environment – Environmental Education Office; University of Sassari (Prof. Paola Rizzi); ARPA Toscana (Environmental Protection Agency of Tuscany); SGI (Italian Geographical Society) and AIIG (Italian Association of Geography Teachers).

ISPRA is going to realize a multimedia kit (Components: handbook, playing cards, maps, dossier, etc.) to spread this game simulation among schools.

Websites:

http://www.conferenzacambiamenticlimatici2007.it/site/it-IT/Sezioni/CNJunior/La_Conferenza_Junior/

http://www.formeducambiente.apat.it/site/it-IT/Educazione_ambientale/Conferenza_Junior/

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7. Conclusions

Following these good practices, some studies are now performed in ISPRA to develop new methodologies and innovative approaches for a better environmental communication in terms of both information diffusion and knowledge transfer, also for climate change, by means of new technologies use, new channels research and deployment, new manuals and procedures adoption.

The exchange of good practices in communicating climate change – as in this UNFCCC workshop – is an important point to start further exchange of experiences at Regional level and to compare own initiatives with other events performed in different situations, trying to make comparisons on effects and results for future efforts towards citizens’ education, training and public awareness to enhance public participation on climate change.

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8. ReferencesItalian Members of ‘Green Spider’ Network:

Mr. Gaetano Battistella – ISPRA - Department for Information, Documentation and Librarian Activities – Via Curtatone, 3 - 00185 Rome

(Italy) – [email protected]

Ms. Stefania Fusani – ISPRA - International Relations Service – Via Curtatone, 3 – 00185 Rome (Italy) – [email protected]

Contribution from: Ms. Emi Morroni, Ms. Renata Montesanti, Ms. Claudia Delfini, Ms. Patrizia Franchini, Ms. Ilaria Leoni, Mr. Adolfo Pirozzi, Ms.

Stefania Calicchia, Ms. Patrizia Polidori

Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) –– Italy

www.apat.gov.it

[email protected]

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“ITALIAN GOOD PRACTICES ON COMMUNICATING CLIMATE CHANGE ”