Abstract

For a long time, the environment has been considered as a mere negative externality of industrial production. This binomial set a confrontation line between “industrialists” and “environmentalists” in the global political agenda.
Tackling this issue in the context of MANIFUTURA means the attempt to break this idea, starting back from the fact that environment and human intelligence have always defined industry together, as well as industry has always contributed to redefine them.

The goal is to dump the dichotomy environment-industry for a new approach, exploring the biunique complex relation that has always linked them: technology, and its real potential to achieve a sustainable economic development.
Environment means raw materials, needs and opportunities of developed human settlements, mobility, management of human activities by-products and wastes. Each and everyone of these elements has been a precondition for the development of new human activities and several time the cause of existence of industry itself.

In different ages and in different ways, environment combined to scientific, entrepreneurial and productive creativity has modelled industry reshaping economic systems, labour and lifestyles. Every time, these revolutions sprang from a new technology that enabled humans to capitalize on an unexplored energy source.
Today, we are facing huge issues related to the sustainability of our global energy system, which impacts on climate and environment as never experienced before.

In a process that started in Lisbon and culminated in the Climate-energy Package, the European Union chose to make of these issues the top priority on its political agenda, relaying of the capability of its productive system – research industry and human capital – to win the challenge and guaranty the survival of our socio-economic system thanks to knowledge and innovation. The USA seem to be moving in the same direction, even counting on a “green revolution” as main tool to support falling occupation.
Can we win this challenge? Can industry and research carry the burden of such responsibility? European and international policies are actually effective? What is the role that the Italian system can play in this game? On which technologies and energy sources should we invest to design a long-term national sustainable energy strategy? Could that be the opportunity for a new Italian manufacture industry? What kind of alliance is needed between industry, research and labour to meet the goals?

THURSDAY, MARCH 19

4:45-6:18 pm Green room
Energy-Environment : new challenge for new opportunities


FRIDAY, MARCH 20

11:30 am -1:00 pm Green room
Towards a powerful renewable energy industry

2:00-3:30 pm Green room
Towards zero emission buildings

5:00-6:30 pm Green room
The Italian energetic system : where to go?