Powering Change. Italian and EU Energy Transition in Times of War

The war in Ukraine has severely affected the Italian – and the wider European – energy ecosystem, forcing Rome (and Brussels), to reduce dependence on Russian energy yet at the same time continue the green transition. Short- and medium-term strategies have been adopted to move away from Moscow-supplied gas and to curb overall demand. Nevertheless, reconciling security and sustainability objectives remains a key challenge for the EU. In the run-up to COP27, the UN climate conference to be held in November 2022, the long-term sustainability of new energy deals between EU countries and climate-vulnerable developing countries will be under the spotlight. The affordability of energy is also a crucial concern, prompting a wide set of European measures that aim to contain rising prices and explore various options for intervention in energy markets. In this regard, Italy’s actions have been notable, both domestically, with ad hoc measures, and at the European level.

Paper produced in the framework of the project “Osservatorio IAI-ISPI sulla politica estera italiana”.