The Italian Glass Sectors’ Decarbonization Pathway

Abstract

Decarbonization has become a central policy and industrial priority across the European Union, driven by increasingly ambitious climate targets. The EU’s regulatory framework now mandates a 55% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030 (compared to 1990 levels), with the overarching goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. This challenge is particularly critical for energy-intensive and hard-to-abate sectors, such as the glass industry. This paper begins with a brief overview of the relevant EU regulations and the structure of the Italian glass sector. It then identifies seven key decarbonization levers applicable to the industry. Drawing on literature data and expert consultations, these levers are integrated into two main decarbonization strategies tailored to the Italian context, both aligned with the 2050 net-zero target. This study further analyzes the estimated implementation costs, the barriers associated with each lever, and potential solutions to overcome them. Finally, Italian strategies are compared with decarbonization approaches adopted in other major European countries. The findings indicate that the transition to climate neutrality in the glass sector, while technically and economically plausible, remains highly contingent on the timely deployment of enabling technologies, the alignment of regulatory and financial frameworks, and the establishment of sustained, structured cooperation between industrial stakeholders and public authorities.