Delivering Italy’s coal phase out – Policy options and international implications

In the effort to decarbonize its power sector, the Italian government has committed to phase out coal by 2025, as outlined by the National Energy Strategy (SEN) adopted at the end of 2017. Indeed, coal capacity in Italy amounts to 8 GW of installed capacity (around 11-12% of electricity demand) and is responsible for 18 million tons of CO2 emissions per year. Despite wide consensus on this priority, yet the path seems unclear and shows a number of risks, with blurred prospects for regional and EU-level coordination and an unsatisfactory evaluation of the future infrastructures assumed to fill the gap left by coal.

This project aims to promote an organized and successful decarbonization by addressing these challenges and risks. IAI – in collaboration with the European Climate Foundation (ECF) – intends to uphold political attention on the coal-phase out, build a community of national and European engaged stakeholders, analyze different scenarios and elaborate policy recommendations, understand the implications of the Italian coal phase-out at regional and European levels and, finally, elaborate and support a diplomatic and cooperation strategy for a stronger European engagement on this global priority. The project foresees a workshop with Italian stakeholders (held on 4 October 2018) followed by a policy brief, a roundtable with European actors and the publication of a paper ahead of the upcoming COP24.

Funding: ECF