Circular economy and environment: Gian Luca Galletti
30 May 2017Gian Luca Galletti is Minister of the Environment and the Protection of Land and Sea and he was the third host of Innovation Talks organized by Bologna Business School in collaboration with Philip Morris Italia. In his speech, the Minister provided a framework of the international environmental situation and he proposed solutions to address what is a serious, urgent and ethical problem.
The presence of Minister Galletti at Bologna Business School is not only a reason for the theme of environmental protection and the circular economy.
He also represents the work that BBS is doing together with the Ministry of the Environment and the Protection of the Territory and the Sea, which sponsors the Master in Green Energy and Sustainable Businesses, and the organizational collaboration for the meeting of the G7 Environment Ministers which will be held in Bologna from 10 to 12 June. At the meeting there was also the new Prefect of Bologna, Matteo Piantedosi, at his first public outings.
Industry 4.0 and circular economy
According to Minister Galletti, the circular economy must be part of the fourth industrial revolution. At present, waste as a final result of raw material is unusable. It is therefore necessary to stimulate the research to obtain increasingly productive materials at the end of the productive cycle. The governance of this process is mature: for 5 years to present, the Ministry has profoundly changed and it try to keep up with the changes and sectors that circular economy engages simultaneously with economic development, agriculture and the environment. Massimo Bergami, Dean of Bologna Business School pointed out ” This cross-sectoral approach is important, Innovation is interdisciplinary.”
Il background
The perception of the environmental theme by the rulers of the world has also changed profoundly. Galletti identifies three key points for a new awareness: the 2015 Pope’s encyclical “Laudato Sii”, the ONU Agreement on Sustainable Development signed in New York and the Paris Accord. “It is no longer just about biodiversity, how to pollute less.
“The word environment also concerns social inequality, poverty, the maintenance of peace in the world“.
“Migration from one country to another. We have to guided the process of protecting the environment and monitor the situation so that countries in the rpocess of innovation do not make the same mistakes done in industrial development.”
The Italian situation
“Italy also has a very good performance compared to the other European countries, “Galletti answered to a public question in the Magna Hall of Villa Guastavillani.” Our energy costs much more than other countries because it is produced by renewable technologies. Large companies are working on the issue of the circular economy. But there is a problem for Italy: 90% of Small and Medium Businesses can not deal with the topic. There is a project with BBS to train SMEs on this issue.
The Industry 4.0 ‘s Plan has an important part of the circular economy, where are provided many incentive and tax relief ”
Next steps
During the meetings of the G7 in Bologna, the themes of technological innovation will be discussed with the cases of three companies and with the universities of each present country, the circular economy, the Paris route, the management of plastic waste in the sea. These meetings are preceded by a week dedicated to the environment, from 5 to 11 June, which Bologna will host many events, including one dedicated to environmental issues and interreligious dialogue with the collaboration with Bologna Business School.
“Last year BBS decided to include at least one course on Sustainability in all the Masters“,
Dean Massimo Bergami said: “Getting out of a Business School without dealing with these issues would be inadequate.”
