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Natural parks to reconcile wonder and environmental protection

Sicily has four regional parks and many nature reserves, which combine environmental protection and public awareness. The biodiversity is remarkable and the landscapes are beautiful.

Etna Park Nature Reserve: located in the eastern part of the island, it protects Etna, a still active volcano, and the fertile territories surrounding it: forests but also vineyards, olive trees or pistachio trees. It also hosts a great biodiversity of flora and fauna.

Alcantara River Gorge Park: located along the Alcantara River, in the east of the island, it is renowned for its geology and flora. The many trails in the park are excellent ways to marvel and develop your naturalist knowledge.

Parc des Nebrodes : located in the north-east of the island, , it is dedicated to the preservation of a unique territory, made of forests and villages that have been isolated for a long time, where an ancestral pastoral activity still exists. Numerous paths allow you to discover the richness of the park.

Madonie Park : located in the north of the island, between land, sea, mountains and isolated villages. It has a remarkable biodiversity, including endemic species. Of breathtaking beauty, it is part of the Unesco Geopark network and offers spaces dedicated to the dissemination of naturalist knowledge.

Among the other protected areas, we can mention the Zingaro reserve, a wild creek located in the west of the island, which is a magnificent place for excursions.

Actions to fight pollution

A major environmental concern in Sicily is linked to the petrochemical complex on the east coast of the island, one of the densest in Europe. It causes pollution of all natural environments (air, water, soil), mainly due to heavy metals. In the Augusta harbor, the sea is particularly contaminated with mercury, and this pollution would have significant health impacts, which would earn the area the sad nickname of "industrial quadrilateral of death". A local group has acted as an alarm bellwether and a judicial inquiry has been opened to establish responsibility for the pollution and to ensure compliance with regulations. Public awareness campaigns have been initiated, as well as ecological and epidemiological studies. The claims also concern the implementation of sanitation systems.

Another issue in Sicily is pollution from waste and plastics. The Mediterranean, which constitutes 1% of the world's marine waters, concentrates 7% of plastic pollution (source: www.wwf.fr). Most of the pollution is invisible to the naked eye (plastic in the form of nano- and micro-particles) and comes from aqueous effluents. There is also solid plastic detritus on the island, the result of poor waste management. It is possible to act, and this at different scales, by privileging a prevention approach. The best waste is indeed the one we do not produce. The Sicilian Assembly passed a law in 2020 to limit single-use and non-biodegradable plastic, a first in Italy. The idea is also to encourage companies to develop ecological alternatives to plastic. The law foresees reduction targets for administrations and their canteens but also for bathing establishments. On an individual basis, it is possible to launch a zero waste approach. This can be done by avoiding or limiting the purchase of packaging or products containing plastic (including textiles, by reading the labels) and by using devices to trap micro-plastics during the machine washing of our clothes (filters).

Sicily and climate change

A biodiversity hotspot, the Mediterranean is also one of the world's climate change hotspots, and is expected to warm up on average 20% faster than the rest of the world. In Sicily, rising temperatures could aggravate extreme phenomena (droughts, floods), increase soil erosion, and cause water shortages and desertification. Climate change also leads to the acidification of the seas which has deleterious effects on corals but also on plankton, an essential link in the food chain. It contributes to the decline of biodiversity and could bring the shadow of food insecurity to Sicily. A UN report published in 2022 indicates that we are following a trajectory of +3.1°C on a global scale. It is therefore urgent to take action to limit global warming and adapt to its effects. The Mediterranean Network of Experts on Climate and Environmental Change (MedECC), which brings together more than 600 researchers, produced a report in 2022 on environmental risks in the Mediterranean region, intended for scientists and decision-makers. Italy, like France, is committed through the Paris Agreements to achieving carbon neutrality by the end of the century, in order to limit the average increase in temperature on earth to +2°C. It is possible to act at different levels. The NGO Legambiente leads campaigns on the island for the preservation of biodiversity and the fight against climate change. Travelers can also act at their own level, during their trip but also in their daily life. It is possible to measure one's carbon footprint in order to consider actions to reach carbon neutrality(https://nosgestesclimat.fr/simulateur/bilan).

It is easy to reach Sicily by train and boat from the mainland, it is pleasant to discover the island's treasures on foot or by bike, and to follow the paths of the natural parks. The Slowfood movement promotes approaches to "clean, fair and good" food. Do not hesitate to meet the members of this network in order to reconcile the pleasure of taste buds and respect for the living. Theagriturismi network gathers organic farms that welcome visitors.