SECAP: Report - Closing Conference - 13 April 2022, 10:00 - 13:00

(online via Zoom - working languages: ITA / SLO)

The closing conference of the SECAP project “Support to Energy Policies and Climate Adaptation” within the Italy-Slovenia 2014-2020 program was held on 13 April, led by the Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region in cooperation with the other nine partners: University of Trieste (I) , Science and Technology Park Area Science Park from Trieste (I), City of Venice (I), IUAV University of Venice, Association of Chambers of Veneto (I), Gorizia Local Energy Agency Nova Gorica (GOLEA - SLO), Local Energy Agency of Gorenjska LEAG - SLO), Regional Development Agency of the Ljubljana Urban Region (RDA LUR - SLO) and Municipality of Pivka (SLO).
The completion of the project does not mean that the project activities have ended. The latter will continue on the basis of the results achieved in terms of knowledge, experience, motivation and useful means to combat new climate change. The SECAP project is a telling example of a cross-border public initiative that promotes low-carbon strategies in the Italian-Slovenian border area by researching and testing appropriate measures to mitigate and strategically adapt to climate change mitigation.
The project has clearly demonstrated that the goals of combating climate change can and must be achieved only through a strategic transnational approach that develops coordinated measures to mitigate and adapt to climate change at inter-ministerial and local, regional, national and cross-border levels of governance. These topics were discussed in more detail by the Department of the University of Venice IUAV, the Science and Technology Park Area Science Park in Trieste and the representative of the Alpine macro-region EUSALP Santa Ulrich.
Rajko Leban, director of the Golea energy agency - Slovenia's project partner - emphasized the important and key role played by local administrations and municipalities. They are responsible for developing and promoting strategies to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change, which are closely interlinked and often difficult to predict. Many municipalities participated in the activities of the SECAP project, including the municipalities of Devin, Trieste, Sacile, Idrija, Ajdovščina, Koper, Nova Gorica, Ljubljana and Pivka.
The testimonies of the municipalities of Trieste and Nova Gorica followed. The investments made during the project were also presented, which included the construction of a green roof at Krpanov dom in Slovenia and construction interventions at the Energy House in the municipality of Mirano in Veneto, as examples of measures against climate change and adaptation.
In this regard, Massimo Pizzato from the City of Venice explained how it was possible to create a map of strategic interventions using the identified methodologies to understand the possible impacts of climate change that could occur in the Venetian area. This includes the emergency action plan, as part of which an investment was made at the Energy House in Miran, co-financed by the SECAP project.
The conference was introduced by FABIO SCOCIMARRO, Regional Councilor for Environmental Protection, Energy and Sustainable Development of the Autonomous Region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, after which Erik Potokar spoke on behalf of MARTINA GRAŠNER from the Energy Directorate of the Ministry of Infrastructure. This was followed by GIAMPAOLO BOTTACIN, Regional Councilor for Environment, Climate, Hydrogeological Instability of the Veneto Region.
An interesting presentation was given by Francesca Sibilla from the Managing Authority of the Interreg Cooperation Program Italy - Slovenia, who highlighted some interesting innovations or forecasts for the new programming period 2021-2027 and emphasized the coherence of the objectives achieved by the SECAP project with the guidelines for the future programming period.
SANDRA SAVINO, Commissioner for Spatial Policy of the Municipality of Trieste, emphasized that Trieste is committed to the environment and reducing low-carbon emissions by 2030, and to improving energy efficiency by increasing the use of renewable energy sources. The ultimate goal of the Trieste municipal administration is to increase resilience to the effects of climate change.
The works, coordinated by Nicolò Tudorov as a representative of the leading partner of the Autonomous Region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, were concluded by prof. Manzan of the University of Venice. This project partner went beyond the boundaries of the SECAP project itself and followed new EU strategies to adapt to climate change.
The organization of the web conference via the Zoom application with simultaneous interpretation in Italian and Slovene was taken care of by the Association of Veneto Chambers, responsible for the communication activities of the project.
The consultation was filmed; both a clip that can be viewed online and presentations of the interventions are available on the project’s official website.
The promotion of the event was provided through the press and other media, and by sending invitations to selected target groups, which include regions, provinces, experts and chambers of experts, organizations working in the field of environment, and universities.
104 public and private entities registered for the closing conference (see attached list), and 59 participants were actually present.
It was often mentioned during the conference that all three SECAP publications on the Common Strategy for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation and the Guidelines for Municipalities will be available before the end of the project on the official website https://www.ita-slo.eu/it / secap.