Abruzzo as two-faced Region: between vulnerability and environmental safeguard

Since its establishment, safeguarding and enhancing of the landscape and environmental heritage represent two key elements in Abruzzo’s regional planning. Over the years, several implementation plans, regulations and official documents were underlying the creation of an integrated regional development program, increasing the image of Abruzzo as “Green Region of Europe” (one third of the protected surface so to have three National Parks and a Regional Park). By contrast, recent national reports and regional ones show that Abruzzo – in all its four provinces – ranks within the top positions in Italy for vulnerability risk in terms of surface, population, enterprises and cultural heritage, with percentages well above the national average in each category. These data return a jarring framework if compared to the initially envisaged image in terms of regional environmental rebalancing. The very recent natural catastrophic events (abundant snowfalls concentrated in a few days and continuous earthquakes) suggest a study about the actual resilience of the region. For this purpose, it is important to assess the real control of the territory, the spending capacity of local authorities and the broader coordination of involved institutional actors, in order to avoid – or at least restrict – situations that have recognized severe damages to real estate assets, but especially heavy human losses.