Towards a Green New Deal? European and Italian perspectives.

Abstract

In a period of recession as the one we are experiencing, the requests of the civil society are often addressed to the achievement of wealth and results palpable on the short-run. Consequently, other aspects are often not considered compelling. This is the case for measures taken for the protection of the environment: we think there are much more important matters that need to be considered first, as if it was an issue with lesser relevance. This is the reason why the work focuses on the Green Economy. More specifically, it focuses on the idea of Green New Deal, proving how green investments are instruments that protect the environment and, at the same time, overcome the crisis. Being the Green Economy a science “in-the making”, the works starts by trying to give a definition of it, first through some of the green thought founders’ ideas – Robertson, Schumacher, Henderson, Boulding – then using more recent definitions. Next, it is analysed the concept of “Green New Deal”, which as stated before, is the core of the work. Particularly, it is stressed the idea of Green New Deal for Europe. In the second chapter, there is an analysis of the economic tools that the European Union makes available for the development of environmental projects. This has been considered an important topic to develop, since the opportunities that the European Union offers are often ignored, and, as a consequence, it is frequently perceived as a distant institution, an institution that does nothing but give rules instead of helping its citizens. Finally, it has been analysed what Green New Deal means for Italy in terms of economic and environmental health. Moreover, in this final section, examples of companies, located in the Veneto Region, that have benefited of the tools provided by the European Union have been analysed as an empirical proof of the benefits of a green conversion for our country.