THE ESSENCE OF THE FUTURE: #ELBA2035.
“The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” This sentence of the computer scientist Alan Kay captures the spirit of the #Elba2035 encounter, which just took place in the headquarters of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park administration in Enfola, on the 7thof June. This day of study and research was a real anticipation of the themes of the second edition of SEIF – the Sea Essence International Festival dedicated to the preservation and development of the sea and its essence. Work began with presentations from the three eminent speakers invited for the event, who related their considerations to an audience composed by exponents of the various stakeholders involved in the construction of Isola d’Elba’s future: from local administrators to economic agents, from trade associations to environmental organisations. “The intent of #Elba2035”, explained the President of Acqua dell’Elba, Fabio Murzi, “is to share with all of the island’s stakeholders some distinguished considerations from renowned experts concerning economic, social and environmental scenarios which we must be aware of in order to make choices capable of planning a future where respect and development can coexist peacefully.”
LISTENING TO PEOPLE, PRESERVING GOOD VALUES.
The event was inaugurated by Monica Fabris, president of Episteme, a research and marketing company which has centred its every plan of future development around the importance of listening to people’s needs, understanding their taste and their interests in order to delineate a future capable of providing practical solutions for real necessities. Necessities which can only be satisfied through the development of social aggregation from below, based on shared interests, overcoming the divisions originated by the exasperated individualism of the last few decades, in order to support development projects which are sustainable even from an environmental point of view.
THINKING OF 2035 IN ORDER TO SAVE THE SEA OF 2050.
The streaming intervention by Andrea Vettori from Bruxelles, Deputy Head of the “Use and Management of Territory” Unit of the DG of Environment of the EU Commission, brought the day’s proceedings straight to the heart of the issue. The data he presented is alarming: only 4% of the animals populating our planet are wild, 50% is destined for human consumption as food, and 50% of Earth’s non-recyclable plastic is found in our seas. In order to stop this worrying trend, the EU has set itself a series of real objectives, such as the prohibition of the 10 products which most pollute our seas and beaches, in order to achieve the ambitious target of having a 0% environmental impact by 2050.
THE ISLAND AS A MODEL OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
The presentation by Andrea Sartori, Senior Consultant at Altis - Alta Scuola Impresa e Società (“Specialised School for Enterprise and Society”) at the Holy Heart Catholic University of Milan, focused upon the specific role of islands as possible experimental testing grounds for the creation of sustainable economies. In small territories with well-defined biodiversity, such as islands indeed, it is possible to create examples of excellence in the field of ecology which may then be transferred at a regional or even national level: from the creation of ecological islands within harbours, to the prohibition of non-recyclable plastics, from electrically powered ferries to car sharing. Because future rises from below, just like the sun rising from the sea’s horizon.
Don’t miss the appointment with SEIF – the Sea Essence International Festival taking place in Marciana Marina from the 28thto the 30thof June 2019, and keep following us to find out more!
