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A more affordable, secure Italy starts at the local level
by Beyond Fossil Fuels - 11 June 2025
Local municipal governments are in a unique position to drive the energy transition forward with more ease and exponential impact. By leading the shift away from polluting fossil fuels and toward cleaner, fairer energy systems, local governments can protect their communities, bolster their local businesses, reduce electricity costs, and build lasting resilience. A growing number of municipalities in Italy as well as across Europe are already showing how it can be done. The rest of Italy, with its vast solar and wind potential, strong local governance structures, and EU funding opportunities, has every reason to join them.
Benefit sharing mechanisms are at the heart of this transformation. They ensure that renewable energy projects don’t just “land” in communities but actively involve and benefit them. When done right—not as a greenwashing exercise but through meaningful engagement and participation—benefit sharing creates win-win outcomes for developers and communities alike while advancing climate goals.
