S-Tiles - raccomandazioni

CONCLUDING REMARKS/TIPS

The well-known Kyoto Protocol, signed in 1997 to implement the objectives of the UN Convention on Climate change, agreed on the date of 2012 for an 8% reduction of the 6 main greenhouse gases with respect to the levels of 1990: Carbon dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), Nitrous oxide (N2O), hydro fluorocarbons (HFCs), fluorocarbons (PFCs) and sulphur hex fluoride (SF6).

Italy is committed to a reduction of 6.5% in its emissions compared to those of 1990. In 1998 the CIPE (INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE FOR ECONOMIC PROGRAMMING) set up guideslines for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Amongst its main goals are a reduction of 2 million tons of emissions in the non-energy sectors by 2002 and of 7-9 million tons by 2006, reaching 15-19 million tons in the period 2008-2012.

Even without yet having gone into effect, the Kyoto Protocol has already received significant criticism regarding the limited impact it has actually made on planetary overheating. With this in mind, there is already talk about initiating renewed negotiations relative to a Kyoto 2, which should be capable of achieving reductions of 25% to 50% in greenhouse emissions.

The substantial commitment - structural and financial - necessary to reach these objectives will create substantial opportunities in terms of both direct incentives and, moreover, of competitiveness for those industrial sectors (such as the Italian ceramics industry) that have already registered important results in the reduction of gas emissions, particularly those responsible for the greenhouse effect. Setting in motion procedures for technological improvements and on-going managerial conformation, correlated to the above objectives, will in fact be inevitable.