ROME (ITALPRESS) – “The preservation of hydro-geological assets and environmental protection are allies. They are people’s friends.We need to be aware of the consequences of human behavior that, over the centuries, by contributing to the transformation of territories with the construction of infrastructures, have accentuated and accentuate the impact violence of some atmospheric phenomena, for example of flood currents in the case of water regimentation. Secular balances that needed to be defended were sometimes violated, achieving results opposite to those intended. Rectifying disruptions, correcting the distortions that have accumulated over time, requires first of all avoiding inappropriate interventions that aggravate them.” Thus the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the flood that hit Alessandria and other municipalities in Piedmont. “The occupation, in the plains, of areas of expansion of watercourses, with settlements of different kinds, growing over time, has increased the dangers. Insisting on claiming to reduce rivers to canals has proved to be high risk. In more general terms, reducing, instead of regulating, water runoff has also contributed to desertification phenomena in the areas closest to the input into the seas, with negative impact on agricultural production,” the head of state added. “Floods, disasters, manifest their negative effects, psychological, economic, environmental, even well beyond the emergency. The safety of citizens must be protected even after the interventions deployed in the immediate aftermath to save lives. When the echo of dramatic events disappears from the news, there must be no pauses or intervals in securing the territories and thus ensuring confidence and serenity to the people, to propel the resumption of life. The revitalization of the affected areas is in the interest of the whole country,” Mattarella stressed.”‘Taming’ the environment is a test, a fascinating challenge. But, if one intervenes by altering the natural order of the territory, without caution, one is met with unpredictable events. Just as in the case of neglect of territories, which cannot be abandoned,” the president of the Republic said again. “In this respect, too, inland, rural, hilly, mountainous areas require much more attention. There is no such thing as a ‘naturally hostile’ nature. There is a confrontation of elements that, if constructive, leads to progress; if badly conducted, it causes devastation. There is a further profile, with respect to which, fortunately, awareness has grown: the planet’s resources are not infinite. In all these respects human intervention is decisive in both senses. “The confrontation within the international community is highly confirming this. Not only because of the inadequate awareness of what is happening in the world, with droughts, consequent famines, climatic migrations, but also because, the climate of confrontation, brought about by wars, sets aside the pre-eminence of the real problems of people, of peoples, to the advantage of anti-historical logics of power, devoid of any value, distancing the sharing of objectives in favor of the well-being of humanity. In this respect too, war, is confirmed – as always – to be what it is: the enemy of humanity,” Mattarella concluded.
– Quirinal press office photo –
(ITALPRESS).
