During 2022, the European Commission proceeded to adopt the action plan towards zero pollution for air, water and soil (“Towards a Zero Pollution Ambition for air, water and soil – building a Healthier Planet for Healthy People” (4) ). The main lines of action include:
• Air quality – In 2022, the Commission launched the proposal to revise the directives on ambient air quality, with the aim of improving alignment between EU air quality standards and the new guidelines of the WHO (World Health Organization), with particular attention to urban areas, where the majority of the population lives. Enel actively participates in the review process by promoting the adoption of zero-emission technologies that generate benefits both globally, in terms of GHG reduction, and locally, in terms of reducing atmospheric pollution.
• Industrial emissions – As regards industrial pollution of air, water and soil, a proposal to revise the Industrial Emissions Directive was published in 2022. Enel supports the review process, in particular for large combustion plants, by committing over the years to the progressive adaptation of power plants powered by fossil fuels thanks to the introduction of technologies with low emissions of polluting substances. Furthermore, Enel actively supports the development of new technologies, such as electrification based on renewable energy, to support other sectors and uses of energy, such as the transport sector or heating and cooling in buildings.
• Soil strategy – In November 2021, the Commission launched an EU soil strategy for 2030, which sets out measures to restore degraded soils by 2050, setting medium- and long-term objectives for 2030 and 2050 respectively. The strategy is directly linked to that of biodiversity and climate adaptation, also establishing targets relating to the restoration of degraded land, the remediation of contaminated sites and the reduction of soil use. In this context, Enel is supporting the proposed strategy, by promoting a circular approach to land management, in particular through the reuse and redevelopment of brownfield sites, as well as the repowering and lifetime extension of wind farms, in order to limit the use of soil. Also, through the Futur-e project, Enel is actively pursuing the reuse of areas within its industrial scope. Enel’s Futur-e project is one of the first examples on a global scale of the redevelopment of abandoned industrial sites of different sizes and in different contexts, turning them into a development opportunity for the local area and for the Country system. Futur-e aims to adopt a circular economy approach by converting abandoned industrial sites into eco-sustainable places dedicated to science, art, culture, tourism, or new industrial activities (see the chapter “Our commitment to a just transition: leaving no one behind”). Enel supports this process through participation with Eurelectric on the Zero Pollution Stakeholder Platform.