The neglected state of Sicily’s natural heritage and the Italian authorities’ indifference to this

Question for written answer  E-001497/2021
to the Commission
Rule 138
Ignazio Corrao (Verts/ALE)

Western Sicily’s natural heritage is suffering from serious neglect, leaving it in a very poor state (fires, drainage, greenhouses, unauthorised buildings, privatisations), particularly so in the following SCIs and SPAs: Paludi di Capo Feto, Lago Preola e Gorghi Tondi, Pantano Leone, ‘Sciare di Mazara’, ‘Sciare di Marsala’, Capo San Vito, Monte Monaco, Zingaro, Faraglioni Scopello and Monte Sparacio.

These areas constitute the European outpost for implementation of the ‘AEWA’[1], which Italy transposed through Law No 66/2006 but has never applied. The same can be said of Legislative Decree 4/2008[2], which makes intervention by the State and the Regions mandatory in the event that ‘lower territorial levels of government’ fail to protect natural ecosystems properly. Nonetheless, in a memorandum of 20 June 2020 the Ministry of the Environment did no more than make general representations to the Sicilian regional executive, which has never taken any action.

Given that in 2017 the aforementioned SCIs, damaged even after being awarded that status, became SACs, and that EU funds for environmental restoration and management plans have been invested in the aforesaid areas:

• 1.Has the Commission ever carried out any inspections to ascertain the true state of these sites and does it intend to do so?
• 2.How will it compel the Member State to remedy this grave state of affairs threatening Western Sicily’s natural heritage?

• [1] Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds
• [2] In particular Article 3-b and Article 3-d. Additions to Legislative Decree 152/2006 – Environmental Code