The Emilia-Romagna region has allocated nearly 3 billion euros for the restoration of damages caused by the May 2023 flood, with an additional 580 million euros provided by the Ministry of the Environment. Over the course of 14 years, the region has received 1.2 billion euros in EU funds for hydrogeological disaster prevention under the Pnrr, but the government has yet to determine how these funds will be used. The funds provided by the Ministry of the Environment are focused on prevention efforts, while those under the Commissioner for Reconstruction, Francesco Figliuolo, are for post-flood initiatives. Despite the funds available for planning and urgent needs, the region has already spent all the funds provided by the State over 14 years.
Of the 1.2 billion euros allocated by the EU for hydrogeological disasters, the funds are still held by the Ministry of the Environment. Following the 2023 flood, which caused 8.5 billion euros in damages, the State has only committed 3.9 billion euros for reconstruction efforts, overseen by Commissioner Figliuolo. However, one billion euros was allocated for job retention schemes for affected companies, which were not utilized because the businesses quickly resumed operations. Out of the available 2.9 billion euros, the Commissioner has committed 1.534 billion euros thus far for reconstruction efforts.
The Emilia-Romagna region has received approximately 580 million euros from the government for hydrogeological safety measures, with an average annual allocation of 35-40 million euros over 14 years. These funds, administered by the Ministry of the Environment, require periodic reporting and an annual report on their utilization. The region asserts that 85% of planned interventions have been completed in this period, with the remaining 15% either ongoing or in planning, in accordance with approved project timelines.
There is a national plan for hydrogeological defense, overseen by the Ministry of the Environment, which includes funding for interventions in Emilia-Romagna totaling 4.5 billion euros. The region has yet to receive a response regarding this plan. Following the 2023 flood, the government has provided 3.9 billion euros in total, including funds for job retention and social safety nets. The EU has also made 1.2 billion euros available, but the government has not established how these funds will be utilized.
After the 2023 flood, the Emilia-Romagna region identified 8.5 billion euros in damages, prompting the government to allocate a total of 3.9 billion euros for reconstruction efforts. Despite initial allocations, a significant portion remains unused due to businesses quickly resuming operations. Immediate post-flood interventions included 402 projects, with 130 already completed, 158 in progress, and 114 in planning, totaling approximately 343 million euros in investment. These interventions covered urgent needs, river interventions, hydraulic defense, and infrastructure projects totaling over 790 million euros.
