9.5 Green volunteering, production and consumption
On this page
Green volunteering
The main government program supporting green volunteering is the Environmental Civic Service, managed by the Department for Youth Policies and the Universal Civic Service (Cf. 2.4). Established in 2021 through an interministerial memorandum of understanding and a subsequent framework program, it aims at supporting young people to face the challenges of the green transition. It is also an implementation tool of the National Strategy for Sustainable Development (SNSvS) and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan Mission 2: Green Revolution and Ecological Transition (Cf. 9.1 and 9.2).
The program envisages the participation of young people aged 18 to 28 in projects lasting from 8 to 12 months, aimed at engaging volunteers in activities included within the framework of national, regional and local strategies for sustainable development, including environmental education, dissemination and promotion of sustainable production and consumption models, etc.
In 2022, 441 volunteers participated in the programme, and 2.200 in 2023. In 2024, 2.358 volunteers are expected to participate in 54 programmes thanks to an allocation of over €15 million from the National Fund for Universal Civic Service (Cf. 2.4).
Furthermore, in Italy there is a network of about 80 volunteer organisations working to safeguard the environment. The Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security maintains the list of environmental protection associations (Art. 13, Law 349/1986).
Some of the major associations offering opportunities for green volunteering (independently or within the Environmental Civic Service) are:
Green production and consumption
Despite the existence of various national policies encouraging the spread of sustainable consumption practices, none of them are specifically aimed at young people, but rather encourages an intergenerational approach.
One of the projects aimed at disseminating knowledge about sustainable consumption is "Saper(e) consumare". It is an interdisciplinary project born from the collaboration among the Ministry of Education and Merit, the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (formerly known as Ministry of Economic Development) and Invitalia (the National Development Agency of the Ministry of Economy and Finance), which aims to direct the population towards a model of circular economy and sustainable consumption.
At local level, various projects are emerging, aimed, among others, at reducing plastic consumption and increasing sustainable mobility. The city of Florence, for example, through the “Pedala, Firenze ti premia” plan, aims at increasing the use of bicycles within the urban area, reducing pollution and traffic. The city of Rome, in addition to offering discounted rates for students and young people, allows local public transport subscribers to use micro-mobility, such as shared scooters and e-bikes, free-of-charge. The city of Rome has also transformed some Roman fountains into “Water Houses,” a project that combines sustainability and innovation. The Water Houses are hi-tech, free-of-charge fountains where you can drink still and sparkling water, recharge tablets and smartphones, and consult public utility information through digital displays.