CO2 PACMAN emerges from this Elba-based initiative with a wealth of knowledge, data, and partnerships that will also be shared with the other partner islands Portoferraio, March 25, 2026 – The three-day event “The Island I Would Like – L’Elba che vorrei,” the final Living Lab of the European CO2 PACMAN project, funded by the Interreg Euro-MED program and coordinated by the University of Siena, has come to a close.
Three intense days of discussion, co-planning, and shared vision brought together the mayors and the technicians of the municipalities of Elba Island, the Regional Councilor for the Environment, Circular Economy, Land Reclamation, and Climate Change Protection for the Region of Tuscany, David Barontini; the Special Commissioner of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park; the project’s European partners; as well as local stakeholders, students, businesses, associations, and a large number of citizens.
The Living Lab served as the culmination of the initiative launched by the project on the Island of Elba, which focused on decarbonization and the development of concrete scenarios for sustainable development. At the heart of the discussion: the greenhouse gas emissions inventory (135,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per year), the high potential of solar, wind, and marine energy, integrated water and waste management, sustainable mobility, and active community involvement.
The data from the survey presented during the event confirm that the island’s residents are well-informed and motivated. Councilor David Barontini, who spoke on the final day and met with the mayors of Elba, emphasized that “the energy transition is now an absolute priority to ensure a sustainable future from a climatic, economic, and social perspective.” Barontini reiterated the Region of Tuscany’s commitment to supporting Elba as a living laboratory of sustainability in the Mediterranean, through streamlined processes, dedicated resources, and the strengthening of renewable energy communities.
Also in attendance were Alfonso Pecoraro Scanio (UniVerde Foundation) and Nikos Xylouris, Deputy Governor of the Island of Crete, underscoring the initiative’s international dimension and the islands’ value as replicable models.
“Elba has all the ingredients to become a model of ecological transition: its territory, renewable resources, high public awareness, and strong institutional commitment,” commented the project’s scientific coordinator, Prof. Simone Bastianoni of the University of Siena. “Today we facilitated a discussion of ideas, proposals, and concrete commitments to transform this vision into an operational roadmap that we are handing over to local communities and institutions.”
CO2 PACMAN emerges from this Elba experience with a wealth of knowledge, data, and partnerships that will also be shared with the other partner islands (Brač in Croatia and Crete in Greece), helping to chart the course toward climate neutrality in the Mediterranean.
The Island of Elba has proven it is ready: now is the time to move from awareness to collective action.
Per info: sito ufficiale https://co2pacman.interreg-euro-med.eu/
