Topic: 2025 – Impact of Climate Change on Air Quality
Country: Italy
Delegate Name: Isabel Santini
Country: Italy
Delegate: Isabel Santini
School: Williamston High School
Committee: UNEP
Topic: Impact of Climate Change on Air Quality
The Italian Republic recognizes the severity of the impact climate change has on air quality. These problems, primarily caused by human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and crops, affect public health and environmental stability in a deeply negative way. Along with industrial activity, shifting weather patterns have caused devastating effects because of wildfires and heatwaves that are exacerbated by climate change. This worsening issue has caused the drastic increase in airborne pollutants which are responsible for strokes and various respiratory diseases, which partially account for the approximately eight million deaths each year from bad air quality. It should be in every nation’s best interest, especially in a time of great industrialization, to find a solution to the worsening air quality for the health of their peoples and their land.
Italy has great interest in supporting initiatives to reduce the effects of climate change as it directly experiences results of the issue. In July 2023, Italy received a heatwave nicknamed “Cerberus” that was so intense the Italian health minister issued an alert that warned of death in 27 cities due to the heat. This not only greatly affected the population because of heat-related fatalities, it also caused a significant drop in their economy which is based on tourism and agriculture. Because of frequent disasters like these, Italy has been at the forefront of supporting organizations like the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC). In 2006, under the Sustainable Mobility Fund, Italy co-financed 187 projects actively promoting initiatives to reduce black carbon emissions as well as the use of ecological vehicles for the distribution of goods.
Italy would help solve the worsening problem of air quality by promoting sustainable ways and regulations. Italy supports the strengthening of air quality regulations like adopting stricter industrial and agricultural regulations such as enforcing emission limits on factories.
Italy also greatly promotes the use of renewable energy in solar, wind and hydroelectric power without relying on fossil fuels which cause greater air pollution. Italy calls on like-minded nations that face similar issues from climate change to help strengthen policies and practices to protect public health and the environment. Italy expects to find allies with similar strong climate policies such as France and Spain.
Works Cited
Climate & Clean Air Coalition. “Italy | Climate & Clean Air Coalition.” Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), https://www.ccacoalition.org/partners/italy. Accessed 23 November 2025.
European Parliament. “Climate action in Italy.” https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2021/690663/EPRS_BRI(2021)690663_EN.pdf.
OECD. “Environment at a Glance: Italy.” 30 June 2025, https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/environment-at-a-glance-country-notes_59ce6fe6-en/italy_e244dc58-en.html.
