A market worth over €30 billion, which provides more than 150,000 jobs. Italian clean-tech’s value is at least this much, according to figures provided by the Polytechnic University of Milan’s Energy & Strategy Group – but it’s much more than that. Since the beginning of the crisis, one out of four businesses has invested in sustainable innovations, research, design, and quality in order to reduce their company’s environmental impact and save energy. According to GreenItaly 2015’s analyses – that is, the report published by the Symbola Foundation and Unioncamere – more than 370,000 companies have invested in clean technologies.
The green approach is therefore a strategic factor for “Made in Italy.” According to an analysis by Vittorio Chiesa’s team, who used Nòva24 to find up-to-date information on ISTAT’s economic activities related to clean-tech, the numbers are growing- reaching €31.33 billion with 154,000 workers in 2015, up from 2014’s total of €30.87 billion with 151,000 workers. The analysts included in their definition of this industry all sectors of renewable energy and energy efficiency; accumulation, collection, and recycling of garbage; water treatment and water system renovations; and the planning and redevelopment of the land, along with caring for and protecting the woodlands. But these investments in clean-tech are obviously far-reaching and involve businesses outside of the industry.
The authors of the GreenItaly 2015 report have revealed that – in terms of results, balances, employment, and the country’s environmental performance – Italy, in spite of its other problems, is the European leader in some particular fields of sustainable development. In fact, Italy’s green businesses have a rather superior level of activity in foreign markets in comparison to the rest of the Italian production sector: 18.9% of these green businesses are able to sell abroad compared to 10.7% of the non-green businesses. In manufacturing, it’s 43.4% versus 25.5%. And they are also more involved in non-European markets. Once again, the green companies innovate more than the others: 21.9% of them have developed new products or services, compared to 9.9% of the non-investors. Driven by exports and innovation, turnover has increased from 2013 to 2014, by 19.6% in the case of the green companies versus 13.4% of the others. Percentages that, in terms of manufacting, rise to 27.4% versus 19.9%.
It’s no mistake that, thanks to a greater level of attention to efficiency, Italy boasts important environmental records on a Europe-wide scale. Consistently with the quality of production, our businesses use fewer raw materials and produce less waste and emissions. Eurostat certifies that Italian companies, with 337 kg of raw materials used per every €1 million produced, are not only doing much better than the EU average (497 kg), but place second among the large economic communities: behind the United Kingdom (293 kg) but ahead of France (369), Spain (373), and well ahead of Germany (461).
Similarly, we have an impressive return for the amount of energy our businesses use: Italy is second among the big players of Europe, behind the United Kingdom. From the equivalent of 17 tons of crude oil used per million in 2008, we have now reduced the amount to 15 tons: Great Britain burns 12 tons, France 16, Spain and Germany 18 each. Italy also does well in the reduction of waste produced. With 39 tons of waste per each million produced (5 tons fewer than in 2008), we are the most efficient in Europe, even better than ultra-clean Germany (65 tons). But we can always do better.
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