As indicated in PM Meloni’s keynote speech, Italy is set to increase gas drilling in the sea, and on-shore. There has been no word so far on tapping the south of Italy’s “paradise of renewable energy sources”.
In Giorgia Meloni’s first speech as Prime Minister, she said the sea had gas deposits “that we must fully exploit”. Furthermore, the government aimed to give “imposing” support to the energy sector and help Italians pay their bills, while some measures would have to be put off.
On Friday, sources said both offshore and onshore drilling for gas in Italy will be given the go-ahead in an amendment to the government’s upcoming third aid package for struggling households and businesses.
The gas drilling moves had been expected in a decree from the environment ministry. Offshore drilling had previously been curtailed amid green protests.
Meloni’s speech regarding the energy crisis
In her first parliamentarian speech as PM, Giorgia Meloni said the sea had gas deposits “that we must fully exploit”. She also said the government aimed to give “imposing” support to the energy sector and help Italians pay their bills.
Meloni added that Italy, in particular the south, was “the paradise of renewable energy sources with its sun, win, the heat of the Earth, the tides and rivers. A patrimony of green energy too often blocked by bureaucracy and incomprehensible vetoes.
“In other words, I am convinced that Italy, with a little courage and practical spirit, can emerge from this crisis stronger and more autonomous than before”.
Why not ‘green first’?
However, it seems that green is not the first consideration of the Meloni government. Rather, drill for gas first. This will not appease the environmental and climate change activists, who are seeking renewable energy as the first solution to be considered.
Ultima Generazione, three of whose activists threw soup at a Van Gogh painting this week, request the Italian government to:
1) immediately stop the reopening of the disused coal plants and cancel the project of new natural gas drilling;
2) immediately increase solar and wind energy by at least 20GW and create thousands of new jobs in renewable energy. (source: https://www.ultima-generazione.com/)
