The latest data speaks clearly: Italy is a country that, for decades, has invested very little in the water sector and, at the same time, consumes more water than any other EU country after Greece and Ireland. Not only that. Italy – just look at household bills, which are much lower than electricity and gas bills – is the country that pay less for water in Europe. Good news, on the one hand. On the other, a warning signal: less revenue means less resources to maintain the national water network, which is in great difficulty.
In what has shown itself as one of the hottest summers of the last decadeissues related to water management and consumption are therefore of fundamental importance. History teaches us that these dynamics must be brought to the attention of public opinion not only through political initiatives – on several occasions, such as the flood in Emilia-Romagna in 2023, the institutions intervened only in full emergency – but also with the support of the art worlda preventive measure capable of reaching straight to people’s hearts.
It is in this context, halfway between the corporate and creativity, which moves Water Foundationa charity founded six years ago with the mission of raising public awareness through initiatives related to water preservation.
On the occasion of the next event ImaginariumThe September 12th in collaboration with Vanity Fair, we interviewed Gabriele Bonfigliolipresident of the Foundation.
In Italy there are several critical issues related to the management of public goods. Why focus on water?
“Water is the blue gold of this century. Our goal, as Acqua Foundation, is to keep the issues that concern it at the forefront of the global agenda.”
Water scarcity is a long-standing issue. Are we making progress in technologies that can bring water to everyone?
«The technologies are there, but we need more collaboration. Last year we started a working table with the Pacific Institute (an American research institute that provides independent research and policy analysis on development, environmental, and security issues, with a particular focus on freshwater issuesed.) to involve companies in the issue of supply chain traceability. The water footprint of private individuals working in sectors that make a lot of use of water is often not accurate».
Speaking of technologies: some countries with a strong tourist growth like Saudi Arabia use sea water desalination. What do you think about it?
“It’s an interesting opportunity, especially in those countries where rainfall is limited and there are no rivers, but it’s very expensive. Not everyone can afford it.”
Is the extent of Italy’s water crisis getting worse?
“We have two types of problems: the first is related to safety, both of infrastructure – a problem we only remember when it’s too late – and of the water network itself. The Italian network loses 40 percent at a national level, 60 percent in the South. The water travels along pipes that are 30 years old and germs and microorganisms can enter. Our sources are clean, the problem is downstream.”
The other question?
«The scarcity, which unfortunately also affects Italy today. In our country the availability of fresh water is at an all-time low and has decreased by 50 percent in the last 30 years. In regions such as Sicily (By July, fourteen of the thirty artificial reservoirs connected to the Sicilian water networks had already evaporateded.), the situation is decidedly critical.”
The goal, in short, is to guarantee more water to everyone, not only in Italy. However, this means greater development. Is anthropization a positive thing in this context?
“There are two billion people in the world who do not have access to water, while half of the world’s population does not have access to safe water. This is a significant issue that goes beyond the development of places, because it concerns people. If you have to walk ten kilometers a day to get a little water, we are faced with a problem that also impacts schooling.”
The third edition of is scheduled for September in Milan Imaginarium. What should we expect?
“Imaginarium is our event dedicated to the creative industries. We come together to pool a series of proactive ideas to address the issue of sustainability and the conscious use of water and water resources. The key to understanding this is through the creation of synergies and collaborations with different worlds, such as fashion, music, and sports. There is also an exhibition planned at the Fondazione Riccardo Catella in Milan, where an artistic dialogue between Elena Mazzi and the maestro Michelangelo Pistoletto will take place, who deals, among other things, with issues related to sustainability.”
Speaking of fashion: we are talking about a sector in which awareness related to sustainability definitely needs to grow.
“Fast fashion is an absolutely relevant issue. If I buy a shirt for 7.99 euros, it means that I am contributing to fueling a system that worsens, among other things, the global water crisis. If all the out-of-pocket expenses related to the sale are subtracted from those 7.99 euros, what remains is the environmental cost of producing it. And it is a very high cost. The choice is ours and comes from the decision not to buy a garment if there is not an adequate supply chain behind it. The world of fashion is finally moving in this direction, which is a good thing. Fashion represents an ambition for many people and a model to follow: steps forward in terms of sustainability in this sector can become an example for everyone.”
PS: To participate in Imaginarium, just send an email with your name and surname to [email protected].
Source: Vanity Fair
I’m Susan Karen, a professional writer and editor at World Stock Market. I specialize in Entertainment news, writing stories that keep readers informed on all the latest developments in the industry. With over five years of experience in creating engaging content and copywriting for various media outlets, I have grown to become an invaluable asset to any team.
