Italy's Constitutional Court
gave the green light on Tuesday to a referendum on drilling for
oil and gas in Italy, a decision welcomed by regional councils
and environmental groups concerned about the effects of offshore
drilling on marine ecosystems.
The referendum will cover the duration of authorisations to
explore as well as already authorised drilling of fields. It was
proposed by regional assemblies who are objecting to drilling
platforms because of worries about seismic stability and the
environment.
"The campaign against drilling starts straightaway," Puglia
Governor Michele Emiliano told journalists after the court's
decision.
ANSA parliamentary sources said on Tuesday that Premier
Matteo Renzi's government was mulling a specific modification to
its "Unblock Italy" infrastructure projects decree related to
the duration of drilling, which will be the focus of the
referendum approved by the court.
Environmental group Green Italia said the court had given
the people a chance to express their voice and it urged Renzi's
government not to intervene to try to prevent the poll.
"It will be the citizens who will decide if they want these
drilling platforms in front of the beaches that live off
tourism… and if they want to say yes instead to another idea of
energy politics, based on the use of renewable energy," Green
Italia said in a statement.
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