Mediterranean Action Plan

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ENERGY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE MEDITERRANEAN
The rationalization of energy consumption in this sector is one of the main challenges in Italy,
being the transport sector dependent from imported oil products and among the main
responsible of CO2 emissions.
After the increasing trend of energy intensity due to the motorization of the country, until the
early ‟90s, today the trend is constant.
The efficiency of technologies and engines has been improved, but the energy consumption
of the sector is increasing rapidly together with the emissions and the consequent impacts on
the environment.
The main actions to be taken in order to decrease energy consumption of this sector and its
negative effects are the following:
Policies for the management of the territory and of the “mobility demand”.
Improvement of transport infrastructures aiming at improving collective transport and
decreasing “road transport”.
Efficiency improvement of transport technologies and engines and promotion of lowconsumption
vehicles.
Introduction of biofuels and low-emissions fuels (natural gas).
Figure 11 Energy intensity of the Agriculture sector
The energy intensity of the agricultural sector is strictly dependent from oil products because
of the predominance of “engines for agriculture”.
In this sector, renewables show a gradual increase essentially due to the utilization of
biomass for heat production.