Ecomondo, the leading international event in Europe and the Mediterranean basin for the green, blue, and circular economy, opened yesterday. Organized by the Italian Exhibition Group (IEG), it runs until November 7 at Rimini Fiera (see EFA News ). The inauguration coincided with the first session of the 14th edition of the States General of the Green Economy, organized by the Foundation for Sustainable Development in collaboration with the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE), and promoted by the National Council of the Green Economy.

This year's theme for the two-day event, November 4th and 5th, is "Green Economy: Leading the Future in Times of Crisis." The title reflects the need for farsighted and resilient leadership in a global context marked by geopolitical instability, economic pressures, and climate emergencies.

Today's international plenary session will offer a global perspective on international policies, investments, and strategies for a competitive green economy. Moderated by Amy Kazmin (Financial Times) and Raimondo Orsini (Foundation for Sustainable Development), the session will feature high-profile presentations, starting with a panel dedicated to global perspectives, with contributions from Europe, China, the United States, and Africa. Speakers include Alessandra Zampieri (JRC, European Commission), Junming Zhu (Tsinghua University), Oliviero Bergamini (TG1 Rai), and Davinah Milenge Uwella (African Development Bank), in a dialogue that will compare development models and climate strategies.

Today's session will continue with an exclusive interview with economist Jeffrey Sachs (Columbia University), who will offer a strategic vision for the future of decarbonization. A thematic focus on transition financing will follow, with presentations by Paloma Aba Garrote (European Commission), Nino Tronchetti Provera (Ambienta), and Marco Duso (EY), who will explore the connection between green investments, industrial innovation, and competitive advantages.

Today's session will close with the traditional panel dedicated to the private sector and the success stories of leading companies in the transition, followed by expectations and prospects for COP30 with the contribution of Chiara Montanini , Project Manager of Italy for Climate.

Yesterday, the opening plenary session saw the presentation of the Report on the State of the Green Economy 2025 by Edo Ronchi , who offered a reading of the prospects for the European and Italian green economy, highlighting the good reasons for not backtracking in the new international scenario characterized by US President Trump 's positions on climate and the environment and the strong development of China's green production and exports.

At the heart of the first day of Ecomondo and the general meeting of the Green Economy is water resources, which are under increasing pressure due to climate change, urbanization, and the demands of industry and agriculture. To address these challenges, Europe and the Mediterranean are spearheading digital and cyber-physical initiatives, leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as IoT, AI, and digital twins to increase efficiency and resilience in water management, complemented by nature-based solutions.

These topics, along with the presentation of innovative case studies, were discussed during the event "European and Mediterranean nature-based, digital and cyber-physical initiatives projects to innovate water management," organized by the Technical Scientific Committee of Ecomondo, Utilitalia, IRSA-CNR (Water Research Institute), the Polytechnic University of Marche, ISPRA, WATER4ALL, and Water Europe.

Extreme weather events and insurance

The effects of climate change are increasingly intense globally, with a significant economic and financial impact. According to the European Environment Agency (EEA), extreme events have caused losses of €738 billion in the EU from 1980 to 2023, with over 22% concentrated in the two-year period 2021-2023.

The event "Managing Climate Risk: Insurance Tools and Obligations for Businesses" aimed to review the risks associated with the climate crisis, policies dedicated to natural disasters (CatNat), and regulatory developments at both the Italian and European levels. For example, the 2024 Budget Law introduced new specific insurance obligations for Italian companies, effective April 2025, confirming the strategic role of the insurance sector in responding to frequent and extreme weather events.

Recovery of WEEE and packaging waste

Increasing the amount of recovered materials by promoting increased waste collection, both from consumers and from professional environments such as offices and industries. This was discussed at the event "Good practices in the circular economy of WEEE, Waste Batteries, and Packaging Waste: from regulatory developments to the presentation of industrial cases," organized by the Ecomondo&ERION Technical and Scientific Committee. It was an opportunity to examine exemplary practices for improving waste management, discuss innovative solutions along the value chain of technological products, and take stock of the potential offered by new circular economy models and European regulations, such as the Packaging Regulation, the Battery Regulation, the CRM Act, and the upcoming revision of the WEEE Directive.

In-depth analyses of the household appliances sector, the management of photovoltaic panel waste, and the WEEE, battery, and packaging waste supply chains were followed by the presentation of concrete case studies and practical solutions for improving their collection, reuse, and recycling.