Assessment of Energy, Mobility, Waste, and Water Management on Italian Small Islands

Francesca Battistelli, Ambra Messina, Laura Tomassetti (), Cassandra Montiroli, Eros Manzo, Marco Torre, Patrizio Tratzi, Marco Segreto, Chen-Yeon Chu, Valerio Paolini, Alessandro Corsini and Francesco Petracchini
Additional contact information
Francesca Battistelli: National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research (CNR-IIA), Via Salaria 29300, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy
Ambra Messina: National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research (CNR-IIA), Via Salaria 29300, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy
Laura Tomassetti: National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research (CNR-IIA), Via Salaria 29300, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy
Cassandra Montiroli: National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research (CNR-IIA), Via Salaria 29300, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy
Eros Manzo: National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research (CNR-IIA), Via Salaria 29300, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy
Marco Torre: National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research (CNR-IIA), Via Salaria 29300, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy
Patrizio Tratzi: National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research (CNR-IIA), Via Salaria 29300, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy
Marco Segreto: National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research (CNR-IIA), Via Salaria 29300, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy
Chen-Yeon Chu: Institute of Green Products, Feng Chia University, No. 100, Wenhwa Rd., Seatwen, Taichung 40724, Taiwan
Valerio Paolini: National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research (CNR-IIA), Via Salaria 29300, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy
Alessandro Corsini: Dipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica e Aerospaziale, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, Italy
Francesco Petracchini: National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research (CNR-IIA), Via Salaria 29300, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 15, 1-25

Abstract: Small islands are recognized for their vulnerability to climate change. In this context, mitigation and adaptation policies are needed, but the ecological transition must be based on data. This study aims to assess the level of sustainability reached by 26 of the inhabited Italian small islands; it collects and analyzes the data and initiatives on the energy, mobility, waste, and water sectors and discusses the islands’ steps toward sustainability. The findings show that 18 of the 26 islands are not interconnected with the national grid and that the renewable sources cover less than 5% of the energy demand on 25 of the 26 islands. The number per capita of private vehicles reaches 90 cars per 100 inhabitants on three islands. The average of the separate collection of waste on the islands is 52%, which is far from the minimum recommended threshold of 65%. Pipelines or tankers on 17 of the 26 islands guarantee the water supply, and desalination plants are still not the rule, while the presence of wastewater treatment has been detected on 12 islands, and it often provides only partial treatment. An ambitious multi-stakeholder sustainability plan for each island should be developed to overcome the typical barriers of the island and to increase the building capacity in order to use economic incentives for that goal.

Keywords: small islands; decarbonization; energy transition; water–energy–waste nexus (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
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