Lombardy Region

Climate Change is universally recognized as one of the most demanding challenges for our planet. According to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global warming of around 3.5°C will occur by the end of the century, given current insufficient global commitments. The world is already experiencing the consequences of an average global warming of 1°C with the average temperature in Italy growing even faster.

Only a joint effort by all institutional, industrial and active citizens can tackle this complex scenario. This starts at local government levels by tackling the causes of the phenomenon, providing measures to reduce climate-altering emissions, and promoting new economic and behavioural models towards a "zero emissions" economy. Enhancing the capacity to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change and promoting resilience and low-carbon development is increasingly important.

The Lombardy Region is aware of this as well as the importance of all relevant stakeholders being involved. Since the turn of the century, it has placed climate change as one of the cornerstones of its environmental policies, tackling this through both the reduction of emissions into the atmosphere from various sectors and adaptation.

The publication recalls that the Lombardy Region was the first Italian region to create an Adaptation Strategy (in 2014), and then an Adaptation Plan (in 2016). The latter was an important tool which recognised and defined the priority areas for the territory. It also identified the interventions needed to minimize vulnerability and increase the resilience of society, the economy and the environment. The document identified 30 measures for the priority climate areas of human health and air quality, soil and land protection, water management and quality, agriculture and biodiversity.

On one hand, this publication aims to demonstrate the Lombardy Region's commitment to tackling the issue of global warming and the changing climate. On the other hand, it contributes to the dissemination of the cognitive elements on the climate for Lombard citizens, in order to spread knowledge of the problem and the development of conscious and virtuous behaviors as a result.

In particular, the publication wants to address high school students, the protagonists of the immediate future. It wishes to direct them towards more sustainable lifestyles and make individuals aware of how reducing their carbon footprint can contribute to a truly global goal.

CDP 2022: https://data.cdp.net/